Maddison: We Were Clear Winners

- Leicester City’s James Maddison reacts to Monday’s 4-0 Premier League win
- The No.10 netted a brace and registered an assist in the success
- Harvey Barnes and Patson Daka were also on target at King Power Stadium

After Taiwo Awoniyi hit the post, City surged into a 3-0 lead thanks Maddison’s brace and a neat curling finish from Harvey Barnes. Maddison turned provider in the second period, laying it off to Patson Daka, who expertly flicked past Dean Henderson to add further gloss to an impressive triumph

“A brilliant night, and one we very much needed,” said Maddison. “It’s been a bit of a tough period for us as you’d expect when you’re bottom of the table and winless after seven games.

“It’s tough for confidence, you can tell yourself you’re not low on confidence but almost subconsciously you are as a group and you’re waiting for your first win. It was a brilliant night, a local derby, Monday night football under the lights and it was a brilliant performance at a packed out King Power Stadium.

“Over the course of the game, we were the clear winners and better in every aspect. They obviously had the chance and hit the post, apart from that one at the end, they had very little. We had a lot of chances, a lot of the ball and attacked, so we were deserved winners and it was a really positive performance.”

Maddison revealed City gathered inspiration from their last clash with Nottingham Forest, using the 4-1 defeat as motivation to beat their East Midlands rivals.

He said: “We actually had a different team talk tonight from the gaffer, I hope he doesn’t mind me elaborating a little bit, but he showed us a video in the changing rooms before we went out of basically the clips of last year’s game at Forest.

“It had their goals and what the pundits said. It was frustrating to watch, and it fired us up in a way. It was very clever, and we went out with that in mind.

“We knew we had to get one back, because local derbies, that’s what it's about. It’s almost like a sour taste in our mouth from the FA Cup game at Forest last year, so we maybe had a point to prove and I think we did that brilliantly.”

Although the No.10’s first strike took a deflection before beating Henderson, his second of the match was a mesmerising free-kick.

“The deflected one was going in anyway, so it didn’t actually matter!” Maddison laughed. “The free-kick was obviously nice, I’ve said many times and viewers are probably bored of hearing it but I practice all the time!

“Free-kicks from that position there, I back myself to score all the time, so I’d have been disappointed if it didn’t hit the net. I was really happy with that one.

“I felt a threat tonight, I felt really good, strong and fit. I was dangerous in the top areas of the pitch as I have been, but it’s always a nicer feeling when you win the game. When you score or assist as an attacking player and don’t win the game, you want to contribute to wins and it’s that feeling that you can’t replicate. I’m really happy for myself, for the team, for the manager and for everyone.”