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Leicester setting sights higher than last season, says Harry Maguire

The England talisman carried his goalscoring exploits from the World Cup to the south coast on Saturday, drilling a late winner as the Foxes edged out Southampton 2-1

Sunday 26 August 2018 13:28 BST
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Leicester City Premier League profile

Harry Maguire insists "ambitious" Leicester City are setting their sights higher than last season's ninth-place Premier League finish.

The England talisman carried his goalscoring exploits from the World Cup to the south coast on Saturday, drilling a late winner as the Foxes edged out Southampton 2-1.

Claude Puel's men now boast two wins in their three matches in the embryonic Premier League campaign, leaving Maguire adamant the east Midlanders can push on - and up the table.

"We've got a great spirit amongst the lads," Maguire told the club website.

"We've got an ambitious squad, we want to push on as high as we can. We weren't really happy with our first-half performance.

"We felt like they were dominating the game. The second half was a lot more like ourselves. We played with much more tempo.

"We created chance after chance and there only looked like one team that was going to win the game and thankfully I got the goal and we take the three points back.

"I don't often score goals that aren't with my head!

"It fell to me nicely and opened up so I took a good touch and managed to get a clean strike on the ball and it found the back of the net.

"A last-minute winner in front of the away fans - there's nothing better."

Ryan Bertrand's bullet effort set Southampton onto the front foot at St Mary's Stadium on Saturday, only for Leicester to equalise through Demarai Gray just four minutes later.

Betrand put the hosts ahead with his effort

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was then sent off for a second booking, handing Leicester the late initiative.

Maguire took full advantage at the last to send ex-Saints boss Puel into raptures and an energetic pitch-invasion celebration.

"When a team goes down to 10 men it makes you go and attack the game, push bodies forward and create extra numbers," said Maguire.

"That's what the boss wants, a defender to step in and try and play. If they had 11 men I probably wouldn't have found myself in that position.

"It was nice that it found the back of the net."

Saints skipper Bertrand revealed his pride at his development at St Mary's, having marked his 150th club appearance with a stunning goal.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is dismissed for a second yellow card after diving in the Leicester box

Asked to reflect on his time at Southampton, Bertrand told the club's official website: "I'm very proud; when I joined the club, I came here and felt a fantastic spirit.

"I've begun to know myself as a player. It's been a fantastic place to come and work - if I can call it that, because I enjoy it so much.

"It's been such a pleasure to be here every day and play for the fans.

"It's a good family club with a brilliant stadium and the fans are fantastic. I'm really happy in my life.

"Individually I'm just trying to improve game by game - to keep doing more.

"I'm looking at opportunities where I could do better and how I could help the team, attacking and defensively, so it's bittersweet today. I'd rather not score and win."

PA

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