Foxes boss Nigel Pearson defends prestige of the FA Cup
- Published
Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson has defended the prestige of the FA Cup after leading his side to the last eight with a 2-1 win over Norwich.
David Nugent's second-half strike secured a Cup upset at Carrow Road to put the Foxes in the quarter-finals.
"This is still a very important competition," said Pearson. "The FA Cup unfortunately seems to have diminished in terms of how people perceive it.
"But certainly not for me and I don't think for the fans either," he added.
"That was borne out of the pressures for success in European football for the bigger Premier League clubs. But it's still a very prestigious competition."
The Foxes have never won the FA Cup, but are four-times runners-up, in 1949, 1961, 1963 and the last time against Manchester City in 1969.
And Pearson hopes that their impressive display against the top-flight Canaries can trigger a run of form in the league.
City have yet to register back-to-back wins this term, and Pearson is looking to this result to lift them from their current mid-table position, nine points adrift of the Championship play-offs.
"I was pleased with the performance and the result is just what we needed," said Pearson.
"It still remains a frustration why we remain as inconsistent as we are. But there are lots of positives from today and I'm very pleased for the players.
"There have been a few false dawns. We've still got a number of games left in the league and plenty of points to play for. If we play like that consistently, clearly we're going to have a better chance of winning Championship games."
Pearson had particular words of praise for Nugent, whose well-taken winner was his third strike in two games and his 13th of the season.
"He's confident, plays with a smile on his face and is a positive influence for our team," said the Leicester manager.
"Whether he's scoring goals or not, his work-rate is exceptional. He's a very popular player amongst the team but, on days like today, he showed the quality he's got as well."