‘It’s no fluke that we are up there’
MADDISON HAPPY FOR FOXES TO FLY UNDER RADAR AGAIN
HALFWAY through the season and Leicester’s latest clinical display has fans – and James Maddison – dreaming of another fantasy title.
An impressive 2-0 win over Chelsea has left Brendan Rodgers’ men riding high with 38 points.
Rewind to 2015-16 and Claudio Ranieri’s 5,000-1 outsiders had just one point more and were level on goal difference with leaders Arsenal after 19 fixtures.
The rest of the sporting world watched in awe as Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy, N’Golo Kante and Co. blazed a trail to the title. Leicester are just 40-1 to do it again.
And the form of Maddison, with five goals in his past seven games, has compensated for Mahrez’s 2018 sale to Manchester City.
Maddison said: “We are not up there by fluke.We are up there because we work hard.
“People might talk about Manchester United, Liverpool or Tottenham but let them.
“There might be teams out there who can spend a lot more money than us. But that team spirit and togetherness is here for all to see.
“We will do our business in the background and come the end of the season hopefully it will give us a chance of being right up there.”
Manager Rodgers said: “To look and see Leicester City in and around it with the levels of teams there makes me really happy. It is going to be a huge challenge for us to be up there but we are happy to take on that challenge.”
Maddison was involved in Leicester’s opener against Chelsea with a clever short-corner routine before making it 2-0.
He has eight goals and three assists in all competitions this season and has benefited from a recent meeting with Rodgers and the club’s analyst Jack Lyons.
Rodgers said: “What we are saying to James is to not just be a player who can play in between the lines and take the ball to feet, but be a running No10 to go and break the line and get beyond. He can get those goals because we know when he is in there he can finish.”
It has led to claims Maddison must be given a chance to add to his single England cap. Rodgers says he is not the only one pushing his case.
He said: “James is creating goals and scoring goals. Harvey Barnes, the same, who is a really talented young English player. James Justin can play equally as comfortably at left or right-back.
“The young English talent is here and if they play and perform well they can’t do any more.”