“He was unselfish” – Super Eagles star Iheanacho praised by Maddison for Leicester City’s first equaliser at Villa

The Nigerian forward delivered a man-of-the-match display to help the Foxes secure their first win of the year

England international James Maddison has praised Super Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho for his unselfishness when setting him up for Leicester City’s opener in their 4-2 win at Aston Villa on Sunday.

Leicester had not won a league game since November and the Foxes had barely settled at Villa Park when Watkins handed the home side a 9th-minute advantage.

Three minutes later, Leicester were back on levelled terms thanks to James Maddison’s goal off an Iheanacho assist.

Iheanacho pounced on a mistake in the Villa defence and looked set to score when faced one-on-one with the goalkeeper. But the Nigerian star opted, in the last second, to lay the ball off for Maddison who dummied a defender before slotting home.

The English playmaker admits he nearly did not expect Iheanacho to pass the ball at that moment.

What has been said?

“Dewsbury-Hall put in a brilliant tackle. He didn’t even know the guy actually turned, initially,” Maddison told LCFC.

“He stayed at it, stayed pressing, got a little toe in. It fell to Kel (Kelechi Iheanacho), who was then unselfish. I don’t think he wanted to pass it, he wanted to shoot, I could see in his eyes.

“But the goodness in his heart told him to lay off for me. I actually felt the defender behind me. So, I didn’t want to actually just put it in first time because I thought it was going to get blocked, which is why I kind of dummied and let it run through my legs and put it on my left foot.

“So, it was nice to get back in the game with that one. I’ve got friends who are Villa fans as well, and I’m a Coventry boy playing for Leicester, so scoring and winning here is a very satisfying feeling.”

Iheanacho provided two assists and scored his first Premier League goal since September as Leicesteroutfoughtt Unai Emery’s men to record the win that lifts them to 14th on the table.