Wednesday 20 September 2017 22:55, UK
Demarai Gray admits to being frustrated at Leicester, but is ready to fight for his place as he closes in on a new Foxes deal.
The 21-year-old is in contract talks with the club after they rejected summer bids from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.
He helped them to a 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Liverpool on Tuesday but is yet to start in the Premier League ahead of Saturday's top-flight rematch against the Reds.
Gray admitted to having felt unsettled at the King Power Stadium, but is now ready to deliver on the pitch.
He said: "I've had a tough time mentally. I wanted more game-time but that's only going to help me develop and I'm in a much better place now. I'll just keep working hard in training and keep trying to get out on the pitch.
"I'm just like any other player - it's kind of an issue if you're not playing. You get frustrated and I think it's good for the manager that he knows a player is frustrated.
"You want to play and get out there and help the team. There are positives and negatives to it, but when I play I've just got to do what I do best. It's good to be involved.
"It's my job to give the manager a headache. That's what I need to keep doing. I know I've got to fight for my place because there are good players fighting for positions."
Gray has made just 10 league starts since signing from Birmingham for £3,5m in January 2016 but did collect a Premier League winners' medal when Leicester shocked the sporting world in 2015/16.
He is in line for a new deal, with Foxes boss Craig Shakespeare confirming an agreement was close, but Gray is focused on trying to make an impact on the pitch.
"That's up to my representatives to handle, but I'll just keep working hard and hopefully something will get sorted and we'll get things over the line," he said.
"I'm a Leicester City player and I've just got to work hard to try and get my place in the team consistently."
