Leicester City press conference live as Steve Cooper talks injuries, PSR, and Crystal Palace

Results v performances?

“You can’t be narrow-minded enough to not see beyond the results. Some parts of our performances have been good. The players are on board and we give them a voice. We need to do even more to deliver even more.”

Feeling of first win?

“I’ll be thinking about the players, the staff, and the supporters. There’s no better feeling than a win in the Premier League. Everybody knows the benefits of a win and how things can build.”

Palace?

“They have a clear way of playing and tactical repetitions. An away game comes with challenges and we want to be a team that thrives in those moments. We’re really focused in terms of doing well. It’s my first time going up against him (Glasner) and I’m looking forward to the challenge of the game. We have to get better and Palace is the next step for us. The game can’t come quick enough for us now we’ve got everybody back.”

International break work?

“Facundo has come here off not too much of a pre-season and there are parts of his body that we have to manage. The international break was a case of getting some individual work done.”

Vardy?

“Vards, you’re right, he trained for a week before he picked up the injury and then trained once before he started. We’ve used the two weeks to get the training into him while preparing him to be ready for a game as well. He played 90 minutes in the last game and nearly got a penalty at the end, so he wasn’t flagging. That’s testament to his professionalism.”

Daka?

“It’s a long-term recovery. He’s out of his boot and his crutches. He’s looking more normal in terms of how he’s walking around. He’s still a while away.”

Important games against fellow winless sides?

“The three games we played before, two of them were at home, we’ve gone into those about what we can achieve, and that will be the mentality every time. We need to be motivated by succeeding and not by the fear of failure.”

Positives and negatives?

“In parts of games, we’ve looked like an exciting team. In other parts, we haven’t looked like that. But in both of those, you’re seeing a group of committed players. You don’t want to go a goal down in every game, but we’ve responded every game. That shows good character. We are also seeing some stuff that’s not what we want. We’re really clear about what we expect and the players have to take that onto the pitch and deliver.”

In the modern day, is there such thing as a best 11?

“It’s an interesting question. I agree it’s a concept we deal with every week in terms of how we start games and how we finish them. Because of the transfer window and the international break, not every player goes through the same schedule. Some players played at the Euros and other tournaments and need a break. They might only get a two-week pre-season. It means that not every player is at the level they need to be. Sometimes you sign players who haven’t been on a strong program and who are catching up. The modern game is more than a starting team. You need consistency and continuity, but you also need adaptable players. We think about it daily.

Work in training?

“Parts of every performance has been good. Parts have looked like we’re developing our game and we need to do better. With new players come in late, we have to develop the connections, particularly at the top end. We’ve got some good work done in the break. We’re under no illusions over how hard any Premier League season will be. Leicester have a brilliant history in the Premier League, but they did go down and have come back up. You’ve seen a real commitment and togetherness in the three games. We really believe we can progress.”

El Khannouss and Edouard?

“Bilal has only had a couple of sessions with us. There’s a few things we’re still building. With Odsonne, we’re delighted he’s here. He’s frustrated he can’t play on Saturday. They add to the talented boys we’ve already got. We’ve got competition and we want guys to push each other.”

Any fresh injuries?

“No. The players have come back from international duty. Some of them are still recovering, and some of them had long trips. Bobby is still not with us. Every team will lose a lot of players and will be staggered in their returns. We’re not different.”

Back to the Premier League?

“We’ve tried to maximise the international break. A lot of players left but we’ve had a core of players who stayed here. We’re still going through a natural transition of getting back into the Premier League, with a change in coach and late signings as well. We’re trying to get the senior players to go with it and embrace the challenge. It gives me a chance to see the players take on those ideas. We can definitely improve results. We could have got more points. The last thing we want is to be applauded off for a good performance but without any points. We want results. We have to own that, the staff, and the players, particularly the senior players.”