Three Foxes who impressed as Leicester thrash Hull

James Maddison

Leicester’s No. 10 was the star of the show in the second half, showcasing exactly why there have been so many calls for Gareth Southgate to reintegrate him into the England fold. The 25-year-old’s positional awareness and technical prowess was on show once more, as he shifted his momentum to create an angle for a cross shortly after entering the fray. All set up to whip the ball to the far post with his left foot, Maddison had us all fooled, including the Hull defenders, as he faked back onto his right, placing the ball perfectly onto the head of Fofana who leapt and nodded it into the net via the inside of the post.

The impact the attacking midfielder had on the tone of the Foxes performance was palpable. Maddison is at the stage now where fans are excited every time he picks up the ball, wondering what he’s going to do next or how he’s going to create an opening that nobody else can see. He also always strikes fear into the opposition when standing over a set piece, and this was on show once more as he flashed a free kick just past the post in the 62nd minute.

Maddison wasn’t done there, however, as he had one more show to put on for the travelling Foxes fans. Receiving the ball from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with his back to goal, with just six minutes on the clock, the fan favourite decided he wanted to go for a worldie, turning sharply to nutmeg a Hull midfielder, before bursting forward and faking a shot past another Tiger and slotting a composed finish under goalkeeper Matt Ingram.

It’s only pre-season, but performances like this one from James Maddison display so much more than just how good he is in a certain game. When a player elevates his levels to that degree and takes command of a situation, it’s a trait that displays leadership, as his teammates and supporters all follow the same journey. If Maddison can be that influential in the Premier League, then he could have a very special season.