Northampton Saints are favourites - Richard Cockerill

Cockerill's side have won three of their nine Premiership matches this season

Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill says Northampton are the favourites as the two sides meet at Welford Road on Saturday.

Tenth-placed Tigers go into the game without a win at home in the Premiership all season.

"They are clear favourites but we just have to keep working as hard as we can," he told BBC Radio Leicester.

"It's a massive event for Leicester and we want to make sure we get our first league win of the season at home."

Northampton sit fourth in the Premiership table, four points clear of the Tigers.

"I think the combined thing of where both sides are in the Premiership, both sides need to win, us more than them," added Cockerill.

"The local rivalry and the traditional rivalry of the two clubs is massive. Local bragging rights are important to us as well.

"We have had a good record against them in recent years. We have just got to keep winning. Saints are a good side and they had a big win last weekend against Saracens.

"We still have some guys missing but the confidence in the squad has been really good in the last six weeks.

"The attitude has been fantastic and it is all set to be a huge game."