Lucas backs Liverpool to beat Leicester City in Anfield opener

Liverpool midfielder Lucas says he and his teammates are focused on beating Leicester City in the club's first game of the season at Anfield on 10 September.

The Reds were one of only two teams to beat Claudio Ranieri's title-winners last season, with Christian Benteke's winner earning them a victory at Anfield on Boxing Day.

Lucas said he expected a tough game against the Premier League champions but insisted that the Reds were ready for the test.

"Leicester were a big surprise for many, but they really deserved to win the title," he told the club's official website.

"This year of course is different – they have many more games with the Champions League and other teams have strengthened a lot – but we expect a very difficult game as always, like it was at home last season and away.

"They kept most of their players and signed some very good ones, so it's going to be very tough but I think we've shown in the first three games that we're capable of beating good teams and hopefully it will be a good win for us in our first home game."

New Anfield

The Leicester City fixture is the first match at Anfield since the redevelopment of the Main Stand in the summer to add 8,500 seats, bringing the stadium's total capacity to around 54,000.

Lucas said he was looking forward to playing at the newly-expanded venue and added that it was important to make the ground a fortress if Jurgen Klopp's side are to be successful this season.

"I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully it'll be the beginning of a good journey in the new stadium," he stated.

"Every year, the teams that have a very good record at home challenge for titles and the top four, so it's very important that we do that this year – starting with the first game," the 29-year-old continued.

"[Beating Leicester] would give us confidence to go away from home against Chelsea and try to get the three points. We just need to focus and work hard and with the quality we have, I think we can do it."