‘An Important Win’ - Maddison After Villa Victory

- James Maddison scored the opening goal in Leicester City’s victory against Aston Villa
- The midfielder gave his take on the 4-2 success following full-time at Villa Park
- Kelechi Iheanacho, Dennis Praet and new signing Tetê also found the net on Saturday

Following a tough run of form, without a league win since beating West Ham United prior to the FIFA World Cup, the Foxes got back on track on Saturday, picking up three crucial points at Villa Park.

Maddison helped steer Brendan Rodgers’ side to success, finding the net in the first half, as he did at London Stadium in November during City’s previous top-flight victory, much to the delight of the travelling Blue Army.

“It’s a really, really nice feeling,” City’s No.10 commented post-match. “I think it was important we won today. We said that before the game. We know we've gone on a bit of a sticky run in the league in terms of results. The table, it doesn't look for great reading at the minute, but this was a real chance to go and put a good performance in a local game.

“We knew we always take brilliant support here, and especially with a few tough games coming up as well, it’s nice to go into them with a bit of confidence off the back of a win. It's always nice to score goals - four goals today - it breeds confidence among the among the group and it's a really happy dressing room.”

Photos 04 Feb 2023

In Photos - Aston Villa 2 Leicester City 4

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Photos

The England international scored Leicester’s first goal of the afternoon, on 12 minutes, as the visitors capitalised on some slack defending to cancel out Ollie Watkins’ early opener.

“It was brilliant pressing from the front,” the attacker said, describing his eighth strike of 2022/23. “Ki (Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall) put in a brilliant tackle. I don't know what they were doing, to be fair. We pressed high and they still tried to play and it obviously came to bite them on the bum.

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

Brazilian winger Tetê, signed on loan during the January transfer window, made an instant impact on debut, scoring the third goal of the afternoon. Along with fellow debutants Victor Kristiansen and Harry Souttar, Maddison believes the new signings have provided a welcome boost and allowed him to operate in a preferred position.

“I've heard the gaffer speak about it, it's nice to have that direct width,” he explained. “I'm a player who's best centrally, and I've been playing off the right a little bit, and I've played well. I've kind of learned the role, and I'm happy to play there. But I'm best centrally.

“My skill set, I'm at my best when I'm in the middle, I think, in them areas. So, to have Tetê come in and be that threat, and he was absolutely brilliant today. It was a real fiery debut, and hopefully he can continue that, but with him and Harvey [Barnes] on the wings, keeping that high width, them runs in behind.

“When I play off the side, I have to play a little bit differently. My skill set is not that of a winger, so we kind of mould the team a little bit differently when I'm off the side, but it's nice to be back central, have the pace and the width from them two, and I think it worked well.

“That's why you need to make signings, really, because it gives everyone a lift. It gives obviously you guys, the fans, everyone a lift. It gives the players a lift as well, because you have new players coming in training and you want to impress and they want to impress.

“It does give that lift, mentally, and it's exactly what you need when you need to push for the second half of the season and we do because we're not in the best position in the league and we should be doing better.

“But we're still in the FA Cup, had a good win today, and if we can kick on and we do have a good second half of the season, it should be a really positive end to it.”

The 26-year-old has featured 17 times for the Club across all competitions this term, in what has been an injury-hit campaign so far. Starting for the first time in nearly two months, he believes he is on the way to getting back to his best.

“I hadn't played a game for a long time and was struggling a little bit with my knee,” Maddison revealed. “It's been a bit of a frustrating time, really, my injury, because I've not had a big problem. It's been a small problem that's been a bit of a niggily, irritating one, which is even more strange.

“But two good 60 minutes in the legs. That'll be really good for my fitness and just training more and getting back into it. Luckily, I’m straight back on the scoresheet and haven't lost that knack, so hopefully we can continue that.”