Anthony Knockaert has revealed how a visit from his four-year-old made FA Cup day special.

The winger dedicated his opener against Derby to Ilyan, who was visiting from France.

Knockaert has separated from his wife and has limited opportunities to see his football-mad son. But he took this one in style.

Knockaert said: “My little boy was in the stand today so it’s a great moment for me and my family.

“I was really delighted for him to see me score because when I left this morning he asked me to score.

“He has seen me score before but he was in the stand today.

“He only comes when he is on school holidays. He is at school in France.”

Knockaert would love to secure more Premier League minutes.

He said: “I am always going to keep on working hard in the league or the cup games.

“It is always important for me, no matter how many minutes I get, to try my best but it is easier when you start a game and are full of confidence and you have more minutes to show what you can do.

“If I come on for last 20 minutes, then it is always harder, but I still work hard and try to be a professional.

“It is always frustrating. There is no player in the world who loves being on the bench.

“At every club there are quality players. If I take the case of Riyad Mahrez (Knockaert’s former Leicester team-mate) at Manchester City, he is a quality player but has not played more the 30 minutes in 2019.

“But you have to keep working and showing the manager that you will never give up and you will get your chance.”

Knockaert battled depression after splitting from his wife last year but says members of his family offer great support.

The winger said: “The most important thing for me is my family and as long as they are healthy and stuff like this.

“For me, football comes after that. I’m not saying I don’t care about football, I care a lot. It’s my job, it’s my life.

“But I just try to wake up every day like this and keep saying to myself if I keep working hard, then good things will come.

“I had a few chats with the gaffer, but not especially for that.

“I try to keep professional as much as I can.

“It’s not easy, it’s always frustrating but I’m still young and have a lot of games to play in my career.

“I put things in perspective and obviously I try to keep smiling.

“I don’t know how many games I will play until the end of my career from now but it will be a lot."

Knockaert talks proudly about how knowledgeable his son is when it comes to football, how his favourite player is Lionel Messi and of how pleased Ilyan was when Dad brought him an N’Golo Kante shirt from England as a gift recently.

He added: “Because he doesn’t really understand everything, he thinks I can score every game. I am saying to him that’s not always as easy as it seems!

“There are always tough days but that’s part of life.

“I’m not the only one who plays away from home in a different country and things like this.

“But, as I said, you always have to put things into perspective and keep smiling. I think you always have to think about our situation and know there are worse lives than mine.

“They are in Lille, so it’s not too far. I go back most of the time when I have two days off.”