Leicester City manager Steve Cooper has hinted that Jordan Ayew is eager to secure a starting position, despite his recent impact as a substitute.
Ayew scored a crucial stoppage-time goal in the Foxes’ 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town on Saturday, November 2, 2024.
This marked his second consecutive late goal, having previously netted a last-minute winner in Leicester’s 3-2 comeback victory over Southampton, where he came on in the 68th minute.
Although Ayew has been impactful off the bench, he has yet to earn a place in the starting lineup. Cooper expressed the difficulty of excluding Ayew from the first team, emphasizing that the player does not wish to be defined as a “super-sub.”
“He won’t want that to be his Leicester career,” said Cooper. “It’s tough not starting him, to be honest.”
Cooper explained his tactical decision to keep Ayew on the bench against Ipswich, stating that the team required two wingers to exploit the opposition’s weaknesses.
“We felt we needed the two wingers at the start of the game. We felt we could hurt Ipswich down the sides,” he said. “They block off the middle and give you the sides, and we wanted to take it to get our wide players in places where they could make a difference. So, we went with Abdul and Stephy.
“And then we feel Vards [Jamie Vardy] is playing well and is good for a goal at the moment. So, it was tough to leave Jordan out, but at the same time, it was brilliant to bring him on.
“The lads who came on did well and made a difference. The lads who stayed on and came off also contributed as well,” he added.
Since joining Leicester City from Crystal Palace last summer, Ayew has made 11 appearances and scored three goals. He will be looking to continue his strong performance when Leicester City faces Manchester United at Old Trafford this Sunday.
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