Reaction to Leicester City’s win against Huddersfield from the King Power Stadium

A match described as ‘must win’ for Claude Puel had a positive outcome, along with a decent second-half performance. Following Leicester City beating Huddersfield Town; how did players, management, as well as pundits and journalists react:

Averting disaster with three well worked goals, after falling behind, once again puts wind in the Leicester City sails. Three points also alleviates mounting pressure from Claude Puel‘s back. Following two successive defeats, he had a point to prove.

‘Must win’ was the national media description before Huddersfield Town were dispatched 3-1 in the Premier League at the King Power Stadium. Thanks to expert finishes, from: Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho. Not to mention a David Beckham-esque free-kick by the sublime James Maddison.

If you haven’t been practicing your Maddison-style set-pieces at training, then you’ve been setting them up on FIFA; if not, then you saw Premier League ask the playmaker to show them how he does it. It’s like he’d already been scoring them, in our premonitions and dreams.

A pleased Puel spoke after the win:

"“It was a tough game, a tough game. It was difficult for us. Of course, we know this team sits deep and are difficult to find space [against] with 11 players behind the ball.“We didn’t succeed to find space and perhaps we played square without finding a good solution in the first half. It was better in the second half of course and with more desire, but I think with good transitions, we played forward.“We took the space and we have got a good reward. At the beginning of the game, it’s not enough. We conceded another goal and it’s difficult after to come back against a team like this. We have to correct this situation of course. This is a bad thing about our game.“After, the fantastic feelings – of course our mentality, our strength to come back into the game. To concede the first goal and to come back is fantastic spirit, it shows the quality of my team.“On my bench also, I think, because the players coming off the bench played well also. It’s important to win this game at home with a good result and good mentality all the time.“Of course, for the next game, we have to correct our beginning of the game because we cannot in all the games this goal and these chances because it’s difficult to come back.”– Claude Puel (Via: lcfc.com)"

An assist and a goal mean Iheanacho took his chance for Leicester City

Iheanacho’s reaction to his strong link-up play with partner Vardy was affirming: the 21-year-old believes he and the Englishman have a good relationship upfront. In addition, he said the excellent support from quick players like Maddison and Demarai Gray helped.

Leicester Mercury quoted Match of the Day pundit and former player, Jermaine Jenas, on the trio forming a deadly collaboration for the Foxes: “[Claude Puel] tends to tinker around too much I think but with these three, Iheanacho, Maddison and Vardy, they seem to have found a very good blend.”

Puel on the Iheanacho/Vardy partnership:

"“We were at home, we had to respond, we had to win the game. This team plays deep. It was important to put another striker in the box with Vardy.”– Claude Puel (Via: James Sharpe)"

Similarly, Iheanacho proclaimed: “Confidence is high”, according to Leicester City’s official website. Expect to see the Nigerian start again with Vardy versus Newcastle United in the league but not at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup. He goes on to say:

"“The whole team is happy, not only me. We are pleased with the result today.“I think the whole team did brilliantly, we worked hard. It was a sloppy goal in the first half but we kept our heads down and got the equaliser and the goals came. We’re happy today.“In our away games, we have to be strong as well. We just have to keep our heads down and keep working hard to get the wins.”– Kelechi Iheanacho"

On lcfc.com, the angle taken is of: lethal counterattacks, intelligent play and brilliant free-kicks. The site does not particularly dwell on defensive frailties or what could have been if Huddersfield held on to their initial early lead. Would Leicester’s boss have been relieved of duty if the Terriers won?

Maddison rightly takes home the club man-of-the-match award. His rating from the game, according to WhoScored, was 8.14. Leicester City needed a nucleus in the centre of the pitch, and gained it – for a now seemingly cheap price – in the future England senior internInterna regular.

A much-needed triumph for the Foxes, albeit versus a relatively weak premiership side in the Terriers. There’s a cup break midweek as Leicester City travel to Wolverhampton to face Wolves.

Expect many changes in the beginning side for the Wanderers game: Puel will look for rotated players to give him selection options for the return of the league on Saturday, against Newcastle at St James’ Park.