Liam Moore ready and able for Kane challenge

Friday 23 Jan 2015
Moore and Kane during a training session with England Under-21s
Liam Moore is relishing the chance to pit his wits against England Under-21s team-mate Harry Kane in The FA Cup.

The Leicester City defender could come up against the in-form Spurs striker when the clubs meet in the Fourth Round on Saturday.

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And having regularly faced Kane in training with Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad over the last year and seeing him blossom at White Hart Lane this season, the 21-year-old knows what to expect.

"He’s a great player and it’s no surprise that he’s getting the goals that he has done this season," Moore told TheFA.com.

"You see it in training all the time, if you get the ball to him in good positions he’s going to put it away.

"It’ll be a great test if he does play, but they’ve got a really big squad and a squad full of quality and I’m not too sure what their selection process will be in the next few games, but if he does play it will be tough.

Harry Kane pounced after just 57 seconds against Leicester City

Kane has already scored against Leicester in the Premier League this season

"But we’re confident we can beat anyone on our day, we just need to turn up and play our football as well as we can.”

Despite knowing Kane’s game and style of play as well as anyone, with the hitman also having played for the Foxes on loan in 2013, Moore refuses to "gamble" on what he expects from the 21-year-old.

And Moore admits that Kane will know just as much about his own strengths ahead of their potential meet-up following those aforementioned England training sessions at St. George’s Park.

"It’s a bit of a funny one really, there’s a bit of to-ing and fro-ing in training because as a player, he’ll know what I’m like," he explained.

Leicester City

Moore in action for Leicester against Arsenal earlier this season

"But you can’t gamble on things like that - players of Harry’s stature can produce something from nowhere in different situations, so you just have to take him as he comes on the day.

"But I’ll try and get close to him and stop him doing the things he’s been doing on the ball recently because he’s been scoring."

Leicester will head south with The FA Cup proving to be a welcome distraction from their Premier League campaign.

Nigel Pearson’s side find themselves at the bottom of the table, but with a confidence-boosting win over Newcastle United in the Third Round and the chance to take on a busy Spurs side who have already played six games this month, Moore wants the Foxes to use these ties to build momentum.

"The gaffer always likes to do well in The Cup," he added.

"With the position we’re in in the league at the minute, that’s our priority, but it’s always nice to get a Cup run going.

"It’s something the boys want, so if there’s a chance for us to progress then we’ll do what we can because it will be an amazing achievement to get far in The Cup and hopefully get to Wembley.

“The gaffer always likes to do well in The Cup.”

Liam Moore 

"You could say we’re playing Spurs at a good time. They had a big game this week and then have another important match again next week, so if there was any time that their heads might be elsewhere, this would be it.

"I think it’s important for us too, if we can get some momentum from this game then we can take it into the league and that can only be positive for us."

The tie could also see Leicester unleash their latest signing on English football, with Croatian international Andrej Kramaric currently finding his feet following a big-money switch from HNK Rijeka.

And Moore says he’s seen enough on the training pitch and from Kramaric's debut as a substitute last weeend to suggest that the 23-year-old could be a big factor in their fight for survival over the rest of the season.

"He’s our record signing and he’s a different kind of player to what we’ve already got," he revealed.

Highlights of the Third Round tie at the Kingpower Stadium

 

"He’s quite slight so he’s not someone who’s going to go and rough up defenders but he’s clever in his movement.

"When he’s had the chance in training to finish, he’s looked comfortable.

"He might need a week or two to find his feet, but really that’s all we can allow him because with the position that we are in the league, there’s a little bit of pressure on him to hit the ground running.

"But he’s fitted in quite well with the squad already and we’re expecting big things so we just hope he can deliver."

By Nicholas Veevers Content Manager - FA Owned Channels