Steve Cooper: Leicester 'crave' win against Arsenal

Cooper's side are winless after five games back in the top flight and face the tricky test of visiting last season's runners-up.

Leicester are among six teams who have yet to register their first victory of the campaign but they have not lost in their last two league games, drawing against both Crystal Palace and Everton, who are also winless.

Cooper does not see the challenge of Arsenal as a free hit.

He told a press conference: "It couldn't be a better time to get the result we are craving for.

"I don't think you can go into games thinking they are top of the league so let's just get through it, we need to go in with the intention we can win the game, and that's what we want to do on the weekend.

"Is there a gulf? some people may say that but it doesn't mean a game can be won or lost. We'd love to go to Arsenal on the weekend and get a result and we have to back ourselves to do that.

"We are not going to go into any game seeing it as a free hit or bonus, I don't see anything worse than having a mentality like that and if I as a leader gave that to a player how could they believe anything I say.

Cooper received some criticism on Tuesday night as Leicester could only edge past fourth-tier Walsall on penalties in the Carabao Cup to set up a last-16 tie against Manchester United.

The Foxes boss previously said he is now determined more than ever to achieve good things with Leicester and believes his side's hard work behind the scenes will come to fruition.

He added: "We believe in what we can achieve.

"It's very rare for a newly promoted team to be comfortable in the Premier League - we are still coming off the back of a Championship team, and transitioning into a challenging and competitive Premier League team.

"Do we back ourselves to achieve? Absolutely.

"I'll never get too high from praise and never get too low from criticism, I'll only get motivation to try and improve." 

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