West Ham vs Leicester City: Brendan Rodgers backs Jamie Vardy, Mark Noble to hit 400 games
Brendan Rodgers has backed Jamie Vardy to rediscover his scoring touch for Leicester City ahead of their crucial trip to West Ham as both sides target a top-four Premier League finish.
The third-placed Foxes are four points ahead of West Ham with eight games left after David Moyes’ side beat Wolves 3-2 on Monday to move back into the Premier League’s top four.
The Hammers last secured a top-flight top-four finish in 1986 – 35 years ago – and Leicester striker Vardy has not scored for nine games, with just one goal in his last 17 appearances heading into the important clash.
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The 34-year-old has still scored 14 times in 32 outings this season and, ahead of Sunday’s trip to east London, live on Sky Sports Premier League, Rodgers knows the goals will come again.
“The team has still been winning,” Rodgers said. “What’s most important for Jamie is you have to continue to work, make runs and sometimes you just need that bit of luck.
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“He has created a number of opportunities for us. We know his threat and he can score any time.
“He has just been very unfortunate, between keepers making saves and blocks on the line and some chances that, maybe, he would have put away.
“He is always going to be there. He is such a threat, his sharpness and speed, he is such an important player for us.”
Kelechi Iheanacho has eased the burden on Vardy and has nine goals in his last 10 games.
The striker signed a new three-year contract this month but Rodgers insisted the former Manchester City forward cannot be a long-term successor to Vardy on his own.
“We think he is going to be a very important striker for us in the future but you need more than one,” Rodgers added.
“He has shown, in the couple of years since I’ve been here, he has developed and is improving and is going to be a very important part of the squad.
“There’s no doubt when Jamie is finished and moved on we would have to have another one, maybe two.
“Any top club wants more than one (striker). We have seen Kelechi’s development and seen his confidence grow and he looks a real threat. Being so young we know there is a lot more to come.”
Caglar Soyuncu is still in Turkey after being diagnosed with Covid-19 on international duty but could fly back on Sunday as long as he tests negative.
Cengiz Under (hamstring) is sidelined while James Justin and Harvey Barnes (both knee) are out.
“It’s a very important game,” Rodgers said. “They beat us well (3-0) earlier in the season. We came off the back of a really good result at Manchester City and were then put in our place that weekend.
“We are very focused, we know their qualities and know they are very good on the counter attack. Jesse Lingard is top class and he is a high level player.”
Meanwhile, West Ham midfielder Mark Noble is set to reach another landmark and join an exclusive club when he faces Leicester.
The 33-year-old midfielder is in line to make his 400th Premier League appearance for the Hammers, becoming only the eighth player to do so for one club.
The previous seven are Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville.
Hammers manager David Moyes said: “It is great, to be at one club and play 400 Premier League games takes some doing.
“When you look at how many years you have to be there and the consistency you have got to have, and injuries as well play a part in players’ careers.
“It’s a great achievement and he has reached an awful lot of milestones at West Ham because of his loyalty and his consistency as a player and we’re enjoying him at the moment.”
Noble might be underrated by some Premier League fans, having never played for England or one of the bigger clubs.
But Moyes added: “I don’t think there is anybody, certainly not in our business, who would ever question how great a career Mark Noble has had.
“The loyalty, the number of games he has played, the years he has been at the club.
“I think he might not be mentioned in that group of players because they have won European Cups and Premier League titles, but you cannot question Mark Noble’s loyalty, his consistency, and his longevity which is a big thing in football, especially at one club.
“I think he should be mentioned in and around those names but probably from a different perspective.”
Noble, who made his Hammers debut as a 17-year-old against Southend in the League Cup in 2004, announced recently that next season will be his last as a player at the club.
But Moyes hopes there will still be a role for West Ham’s seventh-highest appearance maker at the club.
“I do see Mark becoming part of the staff in the future, but while he’s still playing well and contributing on that side of it we want him in that area.
“But I have no doubt Mark’s future career will be somewhere at West Ham, what that exactly is I don’t know but I have no doubt he will be in and around the club.”
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