Rodgers praises Perez, Vardy as Foxes sink Blades
Ayoze Perez deserves huge credit after scoring the opener on a rare start for Leicester City in their last-gasp 2-1 win at Sheffield United on Sunday, while match-winner Jamie Vardy is among the best in Europe, manager Brendan Rodgers said.
Perez scored only his second league goal in 17 games, both of them against Sheffield United, and Vardy sank the Blades with a trademark clinical finish in the 90th minute after Oliver McBurnie had equalised.
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— Leicester City (@LCFC) December 6, 2020
“Perez deserves a huge amount of credit, his attitude and everything around his behaviour while he has been out of the team has been first class,” Rodgers told BT Sport.
“He understood the team had been doing well and that he had to wait for his chance, and he kept that aggression and quality in training knowing that his time would come.
“It was a great finish to move his body and score. He was really aggressive today and when he plays with that intensity he is a really good player.”
Perez netted with an opportunist volley from six metres which home keeper Aaron Ramsdale got a hand to but could not keep out, after Marc Albrighton’s deflected shot fell kindly for the Leicester forward.
After McBurnie equalised, neither side looked likely to snatch a winner before James Maddison’s defence-splitting pass down the middle released Vardy who beat Ramsdale with a predator’s finish from 16 metres.
“We just needed that final pass and it came late in the game and wins us the match, and Jamie Vardy is one of the best in Europe in that position,” said Rodgers.
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— Leicester City (@LCFC) December 6, 2020
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“I thought it was very much deserved. We hit the post twice and created other chances and our combination play was good, while defending very well.”
The result lifted Leicester to third on 21 points from 11 games while Sheffield United stayed rooted to the bottom with one point.