Sports News of Tuesday, 16 February 2021

Source: goal.com

Leicester City playmaker Maddison 'fights' teammate Amartey over controversial Liverpool goal

Daniel Amartey Daniel Amartey

Leicester City attacker James Maddison believes the stadium announcer erred in allocating what he believes is his goal to teammate Daniel Amartey in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Liverpool.

The Foxes' first goal was at the centre of controversy, partly for what some thought should have been ruled out for offside, and secondly for uncertainty about who claims the goal, with both Amartey and Maddison believing to have had the final touch.

“The referee gives a penalty and then it's a free-kick and we had a couple of free-kicks in a similar area, to be honest," Maddison explains, as reported by his club's official website.

“Liverpool keep a high line and I wasn't able to actually get into the gap that I was putting it in, which is good defending sometimes and sometimes maybe we can be a bit more aggressive with the attacking.

“I almost try to tell the players, on free-kicks like that, out in the wide area that are close to the box, just sprint to the goal.

“It's hard to pick an exact player out, so I'll try and put it in with pace in that corridor of uncertainty, as people call it, and to get people running at the goal, with little glances and little flicks, but on that one, I tried to just hit it a bit lower, a bit harder, and it actually worked exactly how I tried to.

“Whether someone gets a touch or it goes straight in, I aimed for the far corner, and then if someone gets a touch, Alisson, it's hard for him to come to the ball, just in case one of our players gets a touch. If no one touches it, sometimes it goes in the far corner.

“So, that's exactly what we wanted. And I know the stadium announcer tried to say it was Daniel Amartey's goal, but I watched it back and he doesn't touch it, and I know he doesn't get many and I love Daniel, but I think I'll have to claim that one!”

The controversial 78th-minute goal, ultimately awarded to Maddison by the Premier League, was a crucial equaliser as Mohamed Salah had given Liverpool a 67th-minute lead.

Two late goals from Jamie Vardy and Harvey Barnes in the final 10 minutes ensured a sensational win for the home side at King Power Stadium.

While Maddison has scored seven strikes in 22 league outings for Brendan Rodgers' outfit this season, Amartey is still in search of his first goal after six outings.