Leicester City returned to the summit of the Championship table on the weekend after defeating Birmingham City 2-1.
With Leeds United and Ipswich Town both suffering rare defeats, Enzo Maresca‘s side pounced on the opportunity to move above their automatic promotion rivals.
Talisman Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall opened the scoring with a well-struck snapshot into the bottom corner before Jay Stansfield levelled after closing down Mads Hermansen’s clearance.
Leicester, despite all of their attacking endeavour, couldn’t break down the stubborn Blues defence for much of the second-half and it was heading towards what would’ve been a bitterly disappointing draw.
But, as it goes, Stephy Mavididi popped up at the back post to head home the winner in the 87th minute, sending King Power Stadium into total elation.
Speaking on the BBC Radio Leicester When Your Smiling podcast, former Foxes winger Matt Piper noticed something unusual that Maresca did which helped to set up the winner.
Matt Piper noticed an unusual thing Enzo Maresca did v Birmingham City
Maresca has typically opted to make his substitutions few and far between in games this season, but Piper spotted that both Yunus Akgun and Dennis Praet came on within a minute of each other.
“That’s why I credited the manager hugely after the game because he did make that change,” the BBC pundit said.
“He doesn’t normally bring Yunus and Praet and I thought both of them were excellent when they came on.
“Praet played it out to Yunus actually but he got on the pockets.”
Akgun, who came on in the 81st minute, set up the winner with a delicious curling cross to Mavididi, who made no mistake with the finish.
Maresca has received criticism at times this season for making his substitutions too late, but he got it absolutely spot on this time.
Yunus Akgun deserves to start v Milwall
Akgun, who is on loan from Turkish giants Galatasaray, has largely struggled this term having made only seven Championship starts.
Though, his impressive cameo against Birmingham would’ve put him right in the picture ahead of City’s away clash at Millwall on Tuesday.
Maresca has admitted that he’ll be rotating his side, with a fixture against Plymouth Argyle on Friday also to think about.
So perhaps the 23-year-old playmaker will be given the chance to impress from the first whistle, partnering alongside Harry Winks and Wilfred Ndidi in the midfield.
Dewsbury-Hall, who has started 37 of the 40 league games, may be given a much-needed rest ahead of a near 500-mile round trip to Argyle.
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