Rodgers explains why Iheanacho is preferred partner for Vardy

Leicester beat Brentford, 2-1, West Ham defeat Tottenham 1-0

Leicester City Manager, Brendan Rodgers, yesterday, explained that he prefers top partner top striker, Jamie Vardy, with Kelechi Iheanacho, instead of Patson Daka, because of the Nigerian’s ability to drop into midfield when occasion demands.

Rodgers reverted to the team that beat Manchester United for the game in west London, and so Daka, despite scoring four goals in the midweek win over Spartak Moscow, is back on the bench.

According to Leicestermercury.co.uk, Rodgers suggested that he considered bringing Daka into partner the Premier League’s top scorer Vardy up front against the Bees. But he felt, against a Brentford side that has started life in the top tier excellently, that he needed one of his strikers to be able to drop deep, feeling Iheanacho was the best to perform that job.

Rodgers said on his decision to leave Daka out: “Emotionally when I think of it, it’s a difficult one. But he’s absolutely fine.

“I’m thinking about him and Vardy up there together, but they are similar and this is a game where we need one of the strikers to drop into midfield and Kels is the best at that.”

Daka was not the only player to drop out from the win in the Russian capital, with Luke Thomas out and fit-again Timothy Castagne back in.

Iheanacho was on for the entire 90 minutes as Leicester City defeated Brentford 2-1 away from home.

James Maddison claimed his first goal since February as Leicester continued their recent good form.

Youri Tielemans had opened the scoring for the visitors early on with a stunning strike, driving an unstoppable first-time effort into the back of the net from outside the box.

Foxes keeper Kasper Schmeichel tipped over an Ivan Toney header just before half-time, but the hosts equalised on the hour when Mathias Jorgensen flicked home a header from a corner.

Brentford then pressed for a winner but was caught out by a quick Leicester attack in the 73rd minute.

Tielemans played a great ball to send substitute Daka away and he squared for Maddison to fire home.

The victory meant Leicester, who beat Manchester United 4-2 last weekend, moved up to ninth in the Premier League, while Brentford are 12th.

At the London Stadium, Michail Antonio continued his prolific form as he grabbed West Ham’s winner against Tottenham to lift the Hammers into the Champions League places.

The forward poked in Aaron Cresswell’s dipping corner to score his sixth Premier League goal of the season 18 minutes from time.

Harry Kane earlier saw his back-post header tipped over the crossbar by Lukasz Fabianski, but Spurs failed to capitalise on several decent opportunities.

The win moves West Ham to fourth in the table on 17 points, making it boss, David Moyes’ best start to a season since 2004-05 with Everton.

Tottenham sits two points behind their London rivals in sixth.