Gray pining for more Leicester City starts

Demarai Gray is hoping his impressive display in Leicester City’s 2-0 victory over Stoke City last weekend will lead to more regular first-team opportunities in the weeks ahead.

It has been a frustrating season for Gray, who has often had to settle for a place on the bench in what has been a campaign of peaks and troughs for the Premier League champions as a whole.

Marc Albrighton falling ill led to the 20-year-old being given his first league start since February and just his eighth since signing from Birmingham in January 2016.

Gray was able to shake off a poor challenge from Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross before catching the eye down the left wing, where he could be lining up again against Sunderland on Tuesday night.

Gray said: “It’s been a tough season for me, being in and out [of the squad], because I just want to play games.

“I’ve just had to be patient and keep working hard and every time I get my opportunity, I just want to impact and play well.

“I’ve got to be direct and lively and get the fans lively. I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing and hopefully I can get a run of games.”

After climbing away from relegation trouble, Leicester are looking for their fifth win in a row when the league’s bottom club visit the King Power Stadium.

“Everything is looking good right now so hopefully we can keep our momentum and keep getting the points,” Gray added.