Leicester boss praises ‘great’ Iheanacho after hat-trick heroics

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has showered encomiums on Kelechi Iheanacho after the Nigerian striker scored his first Premier League hat-trick in the Foxes 5-0 demolition of Sheffield United on Sunday.

Iheanacho opened things up in the six minutes from the end of the first half as he tapped home a sweeping Jamie Vardy cross to score in three successive Premier League games for the first time.

Vardy once again set up Iheanacho for his second of the afternoon in the 69th minute before the Nigerian international completed his hat-trick on 78 minutes with a beauty from 25 yards out after being picked out by his compatriot and Leicester teammate Wilfred Ndidi.

It was Iheanacho’s second career hat-trick and his first since grabbing a treble on 30 January 2016 against Aston Villa in the fourth round of the English FA Cup.

Iheanacho was still a Manchester City player at the time he put Aston Villa to the sword in 2016 and Leicester boss Rodgers couldn’t help but heap plaudits on the 24-year-old after scoring thrice against the Blades at King Power Stadium.

“Kelechi Iheanacho is a great guy and when he has been asked to come in he has performed,” said the Northern Irishman, in a post-match interview with the BBC.

“Absolutely delighted for him to have got a hat-trick in the Premier League. It’s a great achievement and all were very good team goals.”