Being left out of Leicester side helped – Daka
Leicester City forward Patson Daka says he has benefited from being overlooked for much of the first four months of the season.
Daka, 25, has scored two goals and provided an assist in two games since starting his first match of the season in Saturday’s win against Plymouth.
Before that, Foxes boss Enzo Maresca called on the Zambia striker for just one minute of league action this term.
“I think it has really helped,” Daka told BBC Radio Leicester.
“For me, it has been a time of reflection to improve myself – to recognise what I have to improve and what I have to do.”
While two substitute appearances is all he managed for Leicester this campaign before Saturday, he has shown good form on the international stage with five goals in four appearances for Zambia since October.
Daka, who joined Leicester for £22m from Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2021, featured 36 times and scored just four goals across all competitions as Leicester were relegated from the Premier League last season.
With three years still remaining on his contract, which runs until the end of the 2025-26 season, Daka remained with Leicester on their return to the Championship.
Italian boss Maresca, however, has preferred former England striker Jamie Vardy and Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho.
But with both out, Daka started against Plymouth and Millwall in the space of five days and scored in both games to help the Foxes keep up a record-breaking pace at the top of the Championship.
When asked about what it was like to be back in the side, Daka said: “It has been great.
“I think not just because I’m playing now, but even when I wasn’t we were all sticking together as a team, supporting each other.
“And you can see the togetherness in the squad, with how we are celebrating, how we are happy together – the chemistry in the team is really good”
Credit: BBC