Leicester City must keep Tom Cleverley quiet – skipper

[Edmund]

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/spor...il/article.html

Leicester City skipper Matt Oakley has warned that former team-mate Tom Cleverley is the man to stop today at Vicarage Road.

The 20-year-old scored twice in 15 games for City last season while on loan from Manchester United.

After swapping the Walkers Stadium for Watford this season for another loan spell away from Old Trafford, he has already chipped in with three goals in five games.

Cleverley has been the spearhead of a solid start to the season for Malky Mackay's Hornets and Oakley believes City must put the shackles on the highly-rated youngster.

"Tom is one for us to watch," said Oakley. "He is a good lad, a confident boy and coming from Manchester United he is a good player, a good footballer and one we were disappointed we didn't get here for this year.

"He has a lot of energy, so we will have to stop him getting into our box, but there are 10 other players we have to stop as well. Then again, they have to stop us, too."

City were disappointed to miss out on bringing Cleverly back for a second spell.

Manager Nigel Pearson said: "He is a very, very good player who did well for us and is doing well for them. We considered bringing him back, but it didn't happen."

Defender Jack Hobbs said: "Tom did well last season and it was disappointing he didn't come back.

"We know he has a lot of quality and he is very tricky but we do know what he is all about and we should cope with him, hopefully."

Today's game is vital for both teams, who are both just outside the top six on 12 points

Oakley said: "Watford have had a lot of changes and gone about it quite quietly.

"They have sneaked up to the same points as us, and they are winning games.

"I don't particularly like playing at Vicarage Road, but hopefully we can get the three points."

Despite City having drawn two and lost one of their three away league fixtures so far, Oakley said confidence was still high within the camp that they can pick up their first win on their travels at Vicarage Road.

Oakley believes City have been unlucky so far not to have gained more than two points for their efforts away from the Walkers Stadium.

"We have played all right on the road," he said. "We played well at Newcastle and probably should have been in front in the first half, but we got punished for not taking our chances.

"If you take chances you win games and we could have done that at Newcastle. At Sheffield United we got done by a wonder strike from 30 yards, so that was really disappointing as well.

"At Ipswich it was a flat game and not particularly great, so we will forget about that one.

"We have played some good teams. So we have Watford and then Middlesbrough to come, who are both up there, so hopefully we will get some points from them.

"Then we should have some teams down near the bottom and we can look to start picking up some points then."

[StanSP]

Doesn't he have a dodgy shoulder

[dogadug]

Get Tunch or Brown to nobble him

[lcfc81]

Does anyone know why we didn't get him when it appears we were quite keen on him?

[miles2lcfc]

Can only imagine that Man Utd wanted to ensure he got first team football and that might not have been a guarantee that City could make. However, I think the form he's in he would have quickly cemented a place on the right. I hope and sure he'll get a good response from the Blue Army travelling today.

[jonthefox]

your doomed if you cant suss out a former team mate...

[Daggers]

Does anyone know why we didn't get him when it appears we were quite keen on him?

Needed a guarantee of appearances, Pearson felt we had too many midfield players and couldn't give that assurance.

[Finnegan]

Needed a guarantee of appearances, Pearson felt we had too many midfield players and couldn't give that assurance.

Basically, he'd have been on the bench.

[Fox92]

I was quite dissapointed that we didn't get Cleverley back.

He'll be a top star at Old Trafford I think, just hope we can keep him quiet.