January 28, (THEWILL) – Leicester City avoided an FA Cup shock as they defeated League Two outfit Walsall 1-0 on Saturday, to move into the last 16 to the relief of under-fire manager, Brendan Rodgers.
The return of James Maddison, to the starting lineup, came as a huge boost for Rodgers and the team, who have been struggling in the English Premier League. Maddison, who has been a transfer target for Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, made his first start since November 12, when he suffered an injury before the World Cup.
Speaking after the game, Rodgers said: “There were lots of positives as well as the result, including James Maddison coming back in. He needs his football fitness now. He’s such a big talent. Just trying to get him up to speed and this was a great chance for him.”
The Foxes were able to secure the win, thanks to a deflected strike from substitute, Kelechi Iheanacho, who has now scored 17 goals in 23 matches in the competition.
“The last time [Iheanacho] was scoring we won the FA Cup, so hopefully it’s an omen,” he continued. “He will get more game time as Jamie Vardy is out for a few weeks. Maybe because he’s not been a starter for so many teams, when he gets his chance in the FA Cup, he takes it and he scores. He has made a great impact in the competition since I’ve been here.”
Leicester will now look to continue their success in the competition as they look to secure another FA Cup victory, following their win in 2021 in which Iheanacho played a crucial part.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
