Fleetwood skipper Pond is raring to go

Town have never played a Premier League team competitively before and Pond, who has been there through all six of the club’s promotions, is hoping to retain his place in the starting line-up.

It is only the third time the club have reached this stage of the competition and the 32-year-old has never played against Premier League opposition.

Rosler said: “We have a lot of players who will relish it; Nathan Pond wants to play against a Premier League team.

“He has been part of this journey for such a long time and he is absolutely desperate to play.

“It is not only Kyle Dempsey or the younger ones, it is everyone.

“You see immediately, a few new players come in, a game like Leicester on the door, the quality in training goes up on the roof.”

Dempsey missed training on Thursday but is expected to feature, while Conor McAleny is another player raring to start against the former Premier League champions.

He could start either on Saturday or, alternatively, in Tuesday night’s Checkatrade Trophy tie when they meet Bury.

Rosler said: “Kyle Dempsey, I got told, will be ready for Saturday.

“Conor, you are thinking when is the time to start him; it could be probably the time against Leicester.

“In the next two games he will definitely start one of them.

“When he can do that over 70, 80, 90 minutes then he is back to full recognition to start.”

However, the FA Cup third round tie might come too soon for Bobby Grant, who has returned to full training.

Rosler admitted: “I don’t think Bobby will be available for Leicester.

“I think when everything goes optimal – and I watched him on Thursday – and continues to go the way we expect it to go, then he will be part of it on Tuesday at Bury.”