Carabao Cup Third Round Liverpool v Leicester City Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca shouts instructions during a break in play during the Carabao Cup Third Round match Liverpool vs Leicester City at Anfield, Liverpool, United Kingdom, 27th September 2023 Photo by Steve Flynn/News Images Liverpool Anfield Merseyside United Kingdom Copyright: xStevexFlynn/NewsxImagesx
Leicester City boss evaluates Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu’s performances at Swansea, putting more pressure on them to deliver as the midfield tandem is shut down.
According to Enzo Maresca, there is an increasing obligation for Leicester City’s wingers to succeed since Harry Winks and Ricardo Pereira are attracting the focus of the opposition.
City’s deep-lying midfield two were immediately closed down against Swansea on Saturday and in the win over Stoke before the international break as their opponents sought to limit their effect and hinder Maresca’s side from playing down the middle. According to the head coach, in that circumstance, they must go wide.
The onus is thus on people like Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu to wreck havoc, which they did in south Wales. Mavididi harassed his full-back, and Fatawu scored his first goal for the club.
“They tried with their wingers to close our pockets (Winks and Ricardo), so there was space outside,” Maresca commented after the game. “Not only today, but in the previous game at home, the two strikers were marking Ricardo and Harry, so it’s clear the space is not inside, but outside.”
“We need our wingers to behave like they did today.” It doesn’t matter if they lose the one-on-one five times out of ten; we can cause difficulties the other five. “This is the path.”
