Thursday 22 September 2016 14:30, UK
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri accepts it will take time for his summer signings to settle in the Premier League but says the new arrivals have not changed the spirit of the side.
The Italian handed starting berths to a number of new faces in Tuesday's EFL Cup defeat to Chelsea, leaving key players Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez on the bench ahead of their Premier League clash with Manchester United on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
And despite conceding a two-goal advantage to Antonio Conte's side, Ranieri insists his squad showed plenty of encouraging signs.
"There were positives. One is to watch the players who don't usually play and see how they are progressing," he told Sky Sports News HQ.
"I can watch the young players such as Ben Chilwell and Demarai Gray, and see how they improve and grow up. And they played really, really well.
"And when the time is right, Demarai and Ben will get more opportunities to play.
"We need a lot of players and have a very good squad to cope with matches in Europe, so we can change the team but it doesn't change the spirit of the team."
Ranieri is also pleased with how the new overseas arrivals have settled in England, such as Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa, but admits it always takes time.
When the time is right, Demarai (Gray) and Ben (Chilwell) will get more opportunities to play.
He added: "Musa has to understand, a little better, the spirit of the Premier League because the Russian League is totally different."
Ranieri was speaking at the TAG Heuer Premier League Pressure Test. TAG Heuer is the first ever Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the Premier League.
