from the Leicester Mercury
Leicester City hope to check Charlton's chance of an instant Premiership return when they go to the Valley tomorrow.
The Londoners are predictably among the favourites to bounce back, as their relegation is softened by parachute payments and they boast a squad full of top-flight experience.
But City showed great resolve against Nottingham Forest in midweek, and Gary Megson's men hope to take that spirit into this clash.
Megson is not getting too carried away with the outcome of the cup tie, and said: "There is a lot of work to do here.
"You can't go into a football club and find everything sorted. There are one or two things I would do differently and that is no reflection on Martin (Allen) and his staff. I am sure when he goes into his next club he would feel the same.
"Charlton are a club who have been promoted before, so they know what do do. There is a lot of finance in there too, but it is not that easy to go straight back up as many teams have found."
City proved they were every bit as good as another relegated side, Watford, when they hammered the Hornets 4-1 at home a month ago, but Megson is not going to read too much into tomorrow's outcome, regardless of what happens.
He said: "I don't see it necessarily as a yardstick for us because it is too early in the season. After about 12 games, you get a better idea."
Megson admits he has not been here long enough to make his mark on the City scene and, with a heavy schedule looming, it will be difficult for that to happen on the training ground just yet.
But buoyed by the Carling Cup win over Nottingham Forest and the mouth-watering prospect of facing Martin O'Neill's Aston Villa in the next round on Wednesday, City do seem to be responding to the new man.
Charlton will certainly be a tough test for the visitors, especially as combative midfielder James Wesolowski, who has been combining so well with skipper Stephen Clemence in the centre of the pitch, is sidelined through hamstring trouble.
City do have options, though, with James Chambers, Richard Stearman and Radostin Kishishev probably competing for the call, while the attack will desperately want to put one over former skipper Paddy McCarthy who is likely to be at the heart of the Addicks defence.
Whatever happens, Megson insists that City are very much in the early stages of transition, more so with a change in manager. But if they preserve their unbeaten away record in league and cup tomorrow, I doubt he would be too displeased.
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