Kelechi Iheanacho has enjoyed a new lease of life under Brendan Rodgers and has returned to his clinical best.
The Leicester City striker was awarded his first Premier League start under Rodgers in the Foxes' recent outing against Aston Villa, and he repayed the favour by scoring and assisting in the 4-1 win.
The Nigerian has averaged a goal every 44 minutes this season and looks to be returning to the form that persuaded Leicester to buy him for £25 million.
Earning the manager's faith
Speaking to Leicestershire Live about his role in the squad earlier in the season, Iheanacho stated: “As a football player you need to keep your head and keep going and concentrate when you are playing and when you are not playing.
“Everyone has to go through this at some point. You need to keep working hard and believing in yourself that one day you can get your chance. I am confident. I believe in myself if I get the chance.
He added: “Maybe you can call it a back-up striker or support striker, it’s something I am happy to be. Of course I could get my chance, it depends on what the manager wants to do."
For the majority of the season, Iheanacho had been left to prove himself in cup games as he found Premier League game time hard to come by.
Scoring against Burton Albion and Luton Town had seen his name return to the conversation and his work in training had left Rodgers wanting to call on him as his side were looking to fight back against Everton.
A goal and an assist against the Toffees turned the game on its head and kept the winning streak going for his side. Two weeks later, he was awarded with his first league start of the campaign against Villa and the striker repeated that feat, meaning he has two goals and two assists in two league games.
Should Iheanacho play and score against Norwich City on the weekend, it will be the first time in his career that he has scored in three consecutive Premier League games - a testament to the upturn in form.
Winning over the fans
"Kelechi Iheanacho. He's magic, you know" echoed around the King Power Stadium in Leicester's game against Watford, a game that Iheanacho didnt even play in. To hand a player Esteban Cambiasso's chant is a big statement by the fans.
Groans were met with Iheanacho's introduction to matches in past months in the midst of the striker's goal draught, but that has changed in recent weeks.
The Nigerian's heroics against Everton shifted the fan's thoughts on the young striker and is start against Villa was widely appreciated.
For a confidence player, the fans' backing is crucial for performances to continue and Iheanacho falls under that category. During his difficult spell, nothing was falling the Leicester number 14's way and the fans were quick to voice their concerns. The more this happened, the more that Iheanacho struggled.
Now, the momentum has shifted, and the more backing that Iheanacho recieves, the more confident he will be on the pitch, resulting in better performances for his side.