Matchday Minus Two Talking Points: Pérez’s Goals Return & City’s Hunger
The Spanish striker made the transfer from Newcastle United to the Foxes in the summer, and has since scored four times in the Premier League, including a brilliant hat-trick at Southampton in October.
That record-breaking night, as well as City’s strengths, their hunger for success and what to expect from Sunday’s encounter with Everton at King Power Stadium were all discussed by Pérez and Taggart on Friday.
Keep the momentum
Ayoze Pérez said: “It’s been great so far. I wasn’t expecting to be in the position we are, but it’s an enjoyable moment to be in this club, to be able to share the pitch with my team-mates so. It’s very enjoyable, and obviously, we’re trying to keep the momentum.”
Seeing a goals return
Gerry Taggart said: “It’s all about fitting into how Brendan Rodgers wants to play and Ayoze Pérez was up and running very early in pre-season. He’s carried it into the season and we’re starting to see the goals return that every forward player craves from him now.”
The right direction
Ayoze Pérez: “I arrived at the Club and felt at home. It’s a club with ambition that’s doing the right things. Everything is going in the right direction. It’s been the right decision, without doubt, and in terms of football, we’re playing great football and we’re creating chances.”
Getting in the box
Ayoze Pérez said: “He (Brendan Rodgers) knows I can score goals, even from the wing position. I used to play no.9 or no.10, so I got used to getting into the box being where everything happens. As soon as I start from the right position, I like to get in the box and guess where the ball is going to come. When Brendan keeps telling me, I have to keep going.”
Vardy’s advantage
Ayoze Pérez said: “They were playing good football in the second half, but we knew we would have chance son counter attack. We know how fast Vards (Jamie Vardy) is and we knew we could take advantage of that. We did it. We know how good Vardy is and he keeps scoring.”
Hungry for more
Ayoze Pérez said: “That day, we made history I scored my first goal, and it happened to be a hat-trick. My first goal here for Leicester was a special one, but it was an unbelievable night. I don’t have to words to explain it, it was an unbelievable performance, and the way we were hungry to keep scoring goals and make history, that was important.”
Control, twist & finish
Gerry Taggart said: “All three goals were really good finishes, really good goals. The link up play, the one touch football. The technical difficulty was great for the second one and the third one, the control, twist and bang was brilliant. Even though it was 9-0, you still had to be at the top of your game to score three goals like that.”
Focus on three points
Ayoze Pérez said: “Teams now are wary of us, so sometimes they change their formation to play five at the back, I don’t know what they will do but it will be a tough game. They have a tough squad, they’re not in their best moment, but they are a good team. We need to make sure our focus is strong enough to get the three points.”
Confidence & momentum
Gerry Taggart said: “I think it’s one of the two most common words – confidence and momentum. People hear words coming out of people’s mouths, but those words are key to the success that people have had. That’s down to the manager, coaching staff and senior players to make sure everyone’s going into a really difficult game and making sure the focus is right in front of you, and that is obviously Everton.”
Gerry Taggart’s prediction: Leicester City 2 Everton 0