MOTHER OF ALL HAT-TRICKS
Foxes striker’s inspired timing after first treble
KELECHI IHEANACHO has revealed the emotional background to his Mother’s Day hat-trick for Leicester.
The Nigerian international said he had been waiting for his perfect time to come.
And what a day to do it as he dedicated his first Premier League treble in the 5-0 drubbing of Sheffield United to mother Mercy, who died after a battle with illness in 2013.
Iheanacho was just 16 when she passed away but his trademark goal celebration of pointing to the skies has never been more poignant.
The Foxes striker, 24, said: “The reason I point to heaven is because I think there is a God and also it’s for my mum.
“I know she’s watching when I score. So I want to show my appreciation for God and for my late mum.
“I’m going to use this opportunity to dedicate this hat-trick to all the mothers in the world. The ones who keep taking care of us.
“I have been waiting for this day to come. I’m delighted. Hopefully there are many more to come.
“It’s a really great day for me, my family and my team-mates. I’m thankful for my team-mates and the manager for helping me to get to this level – and for Jamie Vardy because he has helped me a lot.
“My team-mates are all happy for me. We’re like a family. I’ve got these lovely guys as my team-mates and I hope we get to the top together.”
His only other hat-trick was during his time at Manchester City in 2016, in a 4-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Aston Villa.
His parents were wary of his dream of being a professional footballer during his early days in Nigeria and warned him to concentrate on his studies.
But Iheanacho was snapped up by City after finishing top scorer in the Under-17s World Cup in 2013.
He joined Leicester four years ago for £25m but has struggled to make a big impact until recently, with seven goals in his last eight games as the Foxes try to clinch a Champions League spot.
He said: “We are in there now and we are confident, but we just need to take it one game at a time and focus on our performances.”
AIDY BOOTHROYD thinks a combination of honesty and intelligence can see Arsenal starlet Emile Smith Rowe reach the very top.
The England Under-21 coach has handed Smith Rowe, 20, his first call-up for the European Championship group games.
The Gunners youngster has been in fine form for Mikel Arteta’s side this season, making 15 starts and scoring two goals.
Boothroyd said: “Emile has been outstanding for his club. Honesty is the word that jumps out about him.
“He is one of those players who sees things happening before they actually occur. We are only seeing the start of him. If he can stay fit, we have got a real player on our hands.”
England’s 23-man squad fly out to Slovenia for their Group D games next week, starting with Switzerland on Thursday week followed by Portugal and Croatia.
The four group winners and four runners-up will then qualify for the final tournament, which will be played as a straight knockout in Slovenia and Hungary from May 31 to June 6.
Boothroyd handed out other first call-ups to winger Noni Madueke and goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.
Madueke, 19, left Tottenham for PSV three years ago and Boothroyd said: “Noni’s got a brilliant brain, he’s quick and athletic.
“He’s a little bit like Phil Foden at the 2019 Euros. Nobody had really heard of him until he came and played.
“We’re hoping Noni can create more positive attention.”
OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO insists there is no reason why Manchester City cannot pull off an historic haul of all four trophies this season.
But boss Pep Guardiola has ordered Zinchenko and his team-mates to stop dreaming of a quadruple and focus on the here and now.
Zinchenko, 24, can be forgiven for thinking big as City continue to sweep all before them at home and abroad.
The defender revealed he can see the look of hunger in the faces of his team-mates and said: “We want to try to win everything so we have to show our best in every performance.
“Like Bayern Munich showed last year, I guess they won everything and I think everything is possible.
“We have an unbelievable squad, the best players in the world, so definitely, why not?
“Inside the dressing room I can see the hungry eyes – everyone is so hungry for the titles – and that is what you want.
“This is the most important two months in our careers, especially for players like Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho, who have been here around 10 years each. They deserve it so we are going to try.” But
Guardiola less impressed with Zinchenko’s comments and insists City cannot win the quadruple.
He wants his players to focus on one game at a time, starting with tonight’s Champions League last-16 second-leg clash against Borussia Monchengladbach in Budapest.
City hold a 2-0 advantage from the ‘away’ leg and Guardiola, who will recall Raheem Sterling to his squad after leaving him out altogether for the weekend win at Fulham, said: “I am older than Mr Zinchenko, I have more experience and I don’t agree with him.
“The only thing he has to be worried about is trying to do a good game here and try to go through. This is the only way.
“Four titles is a utopia. It never happened before and I think it’s never going to happen.
“We just think about this one, then the next one at Goodison Park, then the international break. If you ask me if I’d agree with Zinchenko, I’d say, ‘No, completely not.’”
Guardiola knows the pressure on his stars is relentless and he added: “They have to handle it, to play in this is than team, at this club, in this organisation, they have to know it’s not nice to lose a game.
“We have to win and win, that’s for sure, but the quadruple is out of the reality and focus. I don’t know what’s going to happen at the end of the season. Normally it’s not going to happen. It never happened before.
“What we have to do, like we have done since day one, is think about the game we are going to play against Borussia Monchengladbach. That’s the only thing I’m concerned about.”