Leicester City

Steve Cooper got Angry on a very ‘UGLY’ question

Published

2 months ago

October 11, 2024

Matthew

Stephy Mavididi’s inclusion and not Abdul Fatawu’s omission should be the focus of questions on selection over Leicester City’s wingers, manager Steve Cooper has said.

Last season’s regular wide-men have not started together so far this Premier League season, with Fatawu in the line-up for the first three games, and with Mavididi in the 11 for the four matches since. Cooper’s preference for a winger who can double up as an attacking midfielder has seen Facundo Buonanotte, Jordan Ayew, or Bobby De Cordova-Reid occupy the other wide spot.

While City supporters questioned Mavididi’s absence in the opening weeks of the campaign, there are now calls for Fatawu to earn his place back, with fans keen for last season’s wide duo to play at the same time. Fatawu has been brought on in every game he’s been a substitute, but he has been used sparingly in recent weeks, coming in added time against Everton and Arsenal, and playing the final 10 minutes or so against Bournemouth.

For Cooper, Fatawu’s omission is a normal part of having a competitive squad. It’s not the case that the Ghanaian is doing anything wrong, more so that Mavididi has been in good form.

“That question could be for anybody who doesn’t start,” Cooper said last week, before City’s win over Bournemouth. “We have a squad. Everybody’s working hard. We have a team that will start and players that will finish.

“Three or four games ago, it was Stephy. Now it’s Abdul. It could be Kasey (McAteer). It’s a normal question to ask, I understand that. But the question should really be about Stephy and not Abdul. Next week will be somebody else

“What I do know is that we have a group that are really working hard in training, fighting for the shirt. Some guys deserve more opportunities than they’ve been given but we’ve got the numbers that we’ve got

“We’re trying to manage all that in a positive way. The guys are doing that, they’re putting the team first. We will continue with that regardless of anything else

“Abdul’s a really good young player, really exciting, a good attitude, a nice kid, and he’s got a really bright future in front of him. Getting to the player he wants and will become, there will be spells like he had last year in the Championship where he did really well, and he’s also going to have spells where he needs to come through. It’s normal.”

While Mavididi is City’s top scorer in all competitions this season, with three goals to his name, Fatawu has so far only contributed to one goal, crossing for Jamie Vardy’s equaliser against Tottenham in the opening game. Last season, Fatawu registered 20 combined goals and assists, with Mavididi one behind on 19