Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has described Wilfred Ndidi as a ‘colossal’ and ‘irreplaceable’ player because of his energy and work rate.
The Nigeria international recently recovered from an abductor injury he suffered against Burnley in September which made him go under the knife for treatment.
After spending over two months on the sidelines, Ndidi made his return to action against Zorya in a Europa League game where he played for 56 minutes in the Foxes’ 1-0 loss.
The 23-year-old combative midfielder was introduced as a second-half substitute in Leicester City’s 2-1 Premier League victory over Sheffield United last Sunday.
Ahead of Sunday’s league clash against Brighton and Hove Albion at the King Power Stadium, Rodgers hailed Ndidi’s qualities and he explained why his presence is crucial in the team
“He covers the ground. In terms of counter-pressing, he’s so strong,” the former Liverpool and Swansea City manager said. “He can get up to the ball so fast. If a team breaks through our midfield line, he can normally get back in and recover.
“Of course, on set pieces, he’s very dominant. You can see, bringing him into the team, the profile he gives you in your box when you’re defending.
“From a defensive perspective, he’s irreplaceable with what he gives you, in terms of energy and desire to get the ball back. Just his personality in the game is so great for us.
“It’s great to have him back. We’re obviously trying to manage his time coming back in there, but he’s a colossal player.”
So far this season, Ndidi has played three Premier League matches for Leicester City who sit fourth in the league table with 21 points from 11 games.
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