Loughborough Echo

‘I have got my chance and, after all these years, I aim to take it’

DEWSBURY-HALL MEANS BUSINESS AS HE MAKES HIS FIRST XI MARK

- By JORDAN BLACKWELL

KIERNAN Dewsbury-Hall has thrown down the gauntlet to Leicester City’s other midfielder­s, saying they face a tough task ousting him from the line-up now he has grabbed his spot.

It has been a breakthrou­gh month for the academy graduate, changing the game as a substitute at Southampto­n at the start of December and then starting the next six games in all competitio­ns, scoring his first goal for the club at Napoli and providing an assist for Ademola Lookman in the 1-0 win over Liverpool.

Thanks to his excellent stamina, and the quality of his performanc­es, City boss Rodgers has kept on picking him during a busy festive period against some tough opponents.

The 23-year-old has declared that his aim is to play at such a level that Rodgers simply cannot drop him, nor his teammates overtake him in the pecking order.

He told talkSPORT: “I said (to Rodgers) ‘when I get a chance I’m going to give you one of the hardest decisions to take me out’. That’s what I’m going to try to keep doing. We’ll see what happens.

“I’ve waited a while to get to this moment and it would be very stupid of me to take my foot off the pedal now.

“It’s about putting it down on the accelerato­r to work even harder and to give the manager a really tough decision about not playing me.

“You want to play week in, week out in the Premier League in periods like this, and that’s what I’m aiming to do. The competitio­n here at Leicester is very good, we know that, but it’s going to be very hard for anyone to try to get in while I’m playing (well).”

Dewsbury-Hall has not just been patient this season, but during his career. He joined City at the age of eight but did not make his senior debut until he was 21, in January 2020.

He went out on loan at Blackpool and Luton, where he was able to impress, and now at 23, he is starting Premier League matches, like fellow academy graduates Harvey Barnes, Hamza Choudhury and Luke Thomas have managed before him.

“I’ve been patiently waiting in the wings for my opportunit­y,” he said. “I was grateful to be able to get it and I’m glad I’ve been able to show a lot to hopefully now keep my place.

“I’m going to try as hard as I can not to lose that place because that’s what you want as a player, you want to be playing every week and doing well for your team. I’ll be working hard to make sure I’m going to play a big part.

“You know if you’re working well and doing the right things on and off the pitch, you’re going to get an opportunit­y, and then it’s up to you whether you take it. We know football is a dog-eat-dog world.

“You’re waiting for that one opportunit­y and you want to grab it with both hands. We’ve seen it with players like Luke, Harvey and Hamza, and now me, hopefully. It’s my time to really make an impact.

“It’s something I’ve got to give a lot of credit to the manager for, because before he came I hadn’t played any senior football. He’s given me all of my debuts and he’s shown good trust and belief in me, and I’m glad to be repaying that now on the pitch for him.”

 ?? NICK POTTS / PA ?? MIXING IT WITH THE BEST: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall tussles with Mo Salah, with James Maddison in support
NICK POTTS / PA MIXING IT WITH THE BEST: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall tussles with Mo Salah, with James Maddison in support

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