Kelechi Iheanacho joined the exclusive list of Nigerian players to have scored 30 or more goals in the English Premier League after netting in Leicester City’s 3-0 home win against West Bromwich Albion at the King Power Stadium on Thursday night.
Iheanacho scored Leicester City’s third goal of the evening nine minutes before the break after a superb team move.
The goal was his ninth in the Premier League this season. The effort also took the Super Eagles striker’s tally to 13 goals in all competitions in 2021.
The Nigeria international surpassed his previous record of eight goals in a league season which was achieved after 26 matches in the 2015-16 campaign at Manchester City.
The striker has now scored 30 goals in 136 appearances for Leicester City and his former club Manchester City making him the sixth-highest scoring Nigerian in the Premier League.
Former Everton and Portsmouth striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni top the list with 95 goals, Arsenal legend Nwankwo Kanu has 54 goals, while Efan Ekoku sits in the third position with 52 goals.
Shola Ameobi, who was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil has 43 goals to his name with Osaze Odemwingie in the fifth position with 36 goals.
Meanwhile, Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers says in-form striker Kelechi Iheanacho can still improve as he still makes too many mistakes despite his recent scoring form.
Iheanacho was on target again as Leicester thrashed West Brom 3-0 on Thursday night to strengthen their top-four ambitions.
It was Iheanacho’s 16th goal in 32 appearances in all competitions for Leicester this season.
The Foxes are now four points ahead of Chelsea who are currently in the fourth position.
And as cited by BBC Sport, Rodgers said: “It was a good win, any win is a big win. Our intensity was really good in the first half-hour. I wasn’t happy at halftime as our passing wasn’t good enough.
“I am not thinking about the other teams, we have to think about ourselves. We can only control ourselves.
“Jamie Vardy has done it throughout his career and Kelechi Iheanacho is now showing his qualities – he can still improve as he is still making too many mistakes, but he is getting in there.
“This group will sometimes lose games but they are so honest and they want to be better. When you have that it is the dream ticket. It is all you can ask for as a coach.”
