Iheanacho will now spend longer in the starting lineup, Rogers claims

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers on Saturday assured that Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho would now be having a good measure of playing time at the club.

Rodgers gave the assurance while speaking with reporters after Iheanacho spared Leicester City from a potential FA Cup giant-killing.

The Nigeria forward’s second-half goal saw the Foxes beat fourth-tier Walsall 1-0 in their 2022/2023 English FA Cup fourth round match, to advance to the fifth round.

Leicester City beat fourth-tier strugglers Gillingham by a single Iheanacho goal last time out and faced a stern test from a hard-working, high-energy Walsall side.

They were eager to shut out their top-flight opposition and it took 30 minutes for the Foxes to get a shot on target.

A frustrating afternoon was made worse as Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans’ powerful effort from the penalty kick spot struck the post after Patson Daka was fouled.

But second-half substitute Iheanacho rescued Leicester City’s afternoon when his effort from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection off the back of Walsall defender Brandon Comley.

It turning it into a curling, dipping ball that proved too much for the goalkeeper to handle.

Rodgers then disclosed that first-choice striker Jamie Vardy will be out for “a few weeks” after suffering a gluteal injury in training.

But he then said Iheanacho, who has started just once in the league, could get his chance to shine.

“He will get more game time with Vards out for a few weeks. It depends on the type of game we are looking to play,” Rodgers said.

“When he takes his chance he scores. He has made a great impact in the competition since I’ve been here.

“He has been first class, trains virtually every day and is very rarely injured. He sometimes starts games not so good, sometimes he is a little hit and miss.

”But you know when he plays to a high level he is a threat.