Leicester City aim to give promotion rivals a huge warning
Victory over the Baggies, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, would lift City above the visitors and possibly into the automatic promotion places, and that would send out the signal that City are serious contenders for promotion, believes defender Jack Hobbs.
Newly-promoted City's lofty position may have surprised some, but the 21-year-old former Liverpool centre-back said the entire City squad were determined to remain in the hunt and he knows victory over Roberto Di Matteo's Baggies would rubber-stamp their promotion credentials.
"The win at QPR was a statement in itself, but we have a chance to make an impact today and it would send a clear message to the rest of the league that we are here and doing well," said Hobbs.
"I am not surprised because we have a good squad and the players are all of a good quality. It is pleasing to be doing well but we have to try and be consistent and remain up there.
"The gaffer won't allow us to get carried away. He keeps us very grounded and keeps us on our game.
"But we have a good chance if we get a result to move above Albion and get even higher up in the league.That is what we are aiming to do and we will be giving it our all.
"They are coming off the back of a 5-0 win so they will have a lot of confidence but, at the same time, so will we. We have had three wins on the trot and I am just looking forward to the game."
Hobbs knows that he may have his hands full against Albion's free-flowing attacking style.
Albion were renowned for their attractive style of football last season and were even criticised for over-playing at times. However, they are the division's second-top scorers behind Cardiff and visit the Walkers Stadium on the back of a 5-0 drubbing of Watford at The Hawthorns last week.
"They are very good going forward as they showed in the win over Watford," said Hobbs.
"It was the same with QPR. They had scored four in the two previous games before we went there. I was expecting to do a lot of work there, which we did.
"I thought we kept a good team shape and coped with it well. We will be trying to do the same.
"It will be tough, a lot of hard work but we are looking forward to the challenge.
"I think we have been very solid defensively and not conceded many, which is pleasing. We have been scoring goals as well.
"We will just go out there, do the same things we have been doing, keep it tight and take our chances when they come. It will be tough but so is every game."
City manager Nigel Pearson is one of four nominees for the Coca-Cola Championship manager of the month for October.
Jack Hobbs
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