Steve Cooper lifts lid on half-time team-talk that produced stunning Leicester City fight back

Steve Cooper knew Leicester City could produce their astounding second-half comeback at Southampton – even though it was a club first.

As he headed in for the half-time interval, the City boss retained faith his side could overturn their two-goal deficit, despite a shoddy first period. City did just that, with Jordan Ayew completing the turnaround with a 98th-minute winner.

It was the 57th time City have been trailing by two goals or more at half-time in a Premier League game and the first that they have won. For the famous 5-3 comeback win over Manchester United 10 years ago, City were only trailing 2-1 at the break.

Despite the club never having achieved the feat in the Premier League before, Cooper felt it was possible. Indeed, City have responded well in all of the games this season that they’ve trailed at half-time.

Cooper said: “At half-time it was about addressing one or two things, but not loads, and making sure the guys stuck together, believed in the work, believed in themselves and each other, and improved at the top end. We did all of those things.

“I don’t want to sound like a smart-a*** by saying that ‘I felt we were still in the game’, but I genuinely did. I can see the players feeling that as well. But it was about going to do it, and fair play to them, they were brilliant.”

Having claimed points from behind against Tottenham and Everton, and nearly produced comebacks against Aston Villa and Arsenal, it’s becoming a theme of City’s season, this time the team going all the way to three points to spark pandemonium in the away end. It all stems from the camaraderie in the group, Cooper believes.

He added: “What a sign of togetherness. You saw subs in the game, the impact that all of the subs had, players who haven’t even come on the pitch celebrating the win like they’ve played 90 minutes. We need that. I see that every day, the way they train, the way they push each other, the way they are together. God, that really came out in abundance in the second half, as well as playing the way we did.

“Hopefully, in a successful season, this day can be memorable for the supporters. Through good and bad moments, I always have respect for them, the money they spend, the travel, the commitment, the emotions, the opinions. It’s really good to see that at the end of the game and how they got behind the team. They really do, to be fair, home and away. I’m really pleased we gave that back to them.”