26 is magic number for ex-City hero
MAHREZ WORE SHIRT WHEN FOXES WON THE TITLE – AND HE’S DOING SAME AT
FORMER Leicester City star Riyad Mahrez has revealed how memories from his time at the King Power Stadium led to him make a decision over his shirt number at Manchester City, writes Amie Wilson.
Mahrez left City in the summer of 2018 for a fee of about £60 million, after three-and-a-half years at the club.
The Algerian was a key member of City’s 2015/16 Premier League titlewinning squad, scoring 17 goals and providing a further 10 assists in his 37 league appearances that season.
His performances under Claudio Ranieri led to him being named the PFA player of the season as City went on to finish 10 points ahead of their nearest competitors.
Mahrez spent a further two seasons as a City player, playing in the Champions League the following campaign.
He completed his move to the Etihad almost three years ago, having pushed for the transfer.
But the 30-year-old did keep one thing from his time at the King Power Stadium – by continuing to wear the 26 shirt, the squad number he donned at Leicester.
Mahrez explained his thinking in keeping the number, despite having the opportunity to change it when he arrived at the Etihad.
“The story behind the 26. When I arrived at Leicester, there was only two numbers left, 28 and 26,” he told ManCity.com.
“So I said ‘All right, I’ll take 26’ and it’s given me a lot of good things.
“I won the league with Leicester, got to a Champions League quarterfinal and then I liked it and kept it.
“When I arrived here, I could’ve taken 11 but I prefer to stick with number 26.”
Mahrez has scored 10 goals in all competitions for Manchester City so far this season, with nine coming in the Premier League.
The winger was on the scoresheet when he scored the opening goal in the meeting between Man City and Leicester earlier in the season, a
MANCHESTER CITY
game in which the Foxes ran out 5-2 winners.
The two sides meet again after the international break at the King Power Stadium next Saturday evening (5.30pm).
Pep Guardiola’s side are currently 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League table and 15 clear of City in third place.
A win for Leicester would be a big step towards their goal of playing Champions League football again next season.
They are seven points clear of fifth-placed West Ham United.
However, TV pundit and former Arsenal striker Ian Wright says City are not “guaranteed” a top four finish.
Wright worries that Leicester could suffer a collapse like they did last season when they fell away from the race for the Champions League spots.
“I don’t think Leicester are guaranteed,’ Wright said on The Kelly and Wrighty show.
“They’re in a similar position as they were last season and I just feel like the same thing is going to happen.
“It’s going to be up to them, can they learn from what happened?
“I’m liking Chelsea at the minute. They’re on the kind of run where I think they’re in a good moment.
“I think you can’t write Liverpool off, because of the quality of their team.”