Maddison shows class in Leicester fightback
Aidy Boothroyd, the England Under-21 manager, believes Leicester’s James Maddison is not ready to step up to the senior squad but it would be a surprise if Gareth Southgate is not giving the midfielder serious consideration.
Maddison was instrumental as the home side came from behind to leave Huddersfield joint bottom of the table with two points from six games. Claude Puel, the Leicester manager, had asked for a response after back-to-back losses against Liverpool and Bournemouth, and his players delivered.
Huddersfield had gone ahead in the fifth minute with their third goal of the season as defender Mathias Jorgensen pounced at a poorly defended long throw to poke home his first goal for Huddersfield.
Leicester levelled in the 19th minute with a trademark one-touch counterattack, Maddison launching the move after Erik Durm had lost possession deep in the home half. His pass found Jamie Vardy, who in turn sent Kelechi Iheanacho clear to drive the ball wide of Jonas Lossl and into the net.
Midway through the second half, Maddison put Leicester in front with a well-executed free-kick after Huddersfield substitute Adama Diakhaby had brought down Nampalys Mendy 25 yards from goal.
Maddison had surprised the visitors’ defence by dinking the ball over the wall from a similar position in the first half, setting up Vardy for a chance he was disappointed not to convert.
This time he went for a conventional delivery and struck it perfectly, giving the ball enough elevation to clear the wall before dipping and swerving away from goalkeeper Lossl into the corner of the net.
Vardy added a third for Leicester after another Huddersfield mistake allowed Iheanacho to release his strike partner, who had too much pace for his pursuers but enough composure to chip the advancing Lossl.
“I was very happy with the free-kick and the quality in his James’s game but there were good performances from other players too,” Puel said. “We did not panic after conceding an early goal and improved as the game progressed.”