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Nigeria Super Eagles Wilfred Ndidi was named the Premier League MOTM for Leicester City against West Ham United.
The new Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy was a happy man after he witnessed a midfield masterclass from Wilfred Ndidi and Boubakary Soumare that powered the Foxes to a comprehensive 3-1 victory against West Ham United.
Breaking a six-match winless streak, the performance was a statement of intent from a Leicester side seeking to reclaim its competitive edge.
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Nigeria's Wilfred and his Leicester City teammates were thrashed at Brentford with their new manager watching.
At the heart of this resurgence was Nigerian international Wilfred Ndidi, whose defensive ability earned him the Premier League official Man of the Match award.
Van Nistelrooy, the Manchester United legend now tasked with reviving Leicester's fortunes, was unequivocal in his praise of the 25-year-old and his partner after the game.
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"Soumaré and Ndidi had an unbelievable game today,” he told the club’s website. “[They] covered a lot of distance, winning a lot of balls in duels and second balls and also on the ball, they were giving us some good bits to play forward, so compliments to them as well," he added in his post-match conference.
Ndidi's statistics painted a picture of defensive dominance that went far beyond traditional metrics.
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With 86% pass completion, 64 touches, a perfect 100% success rate in dribbles, and a match-high six tackles, he embodied the modern defensive midfielder's role.
His 14 won duels, three interceptions, and seven clearances also showed a performance of exceptional technical and tactical intelligence.
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The partnership with Soumaré was particularly noteworthy. Where Ndidi provided defensive steel, Soumaré complemented with intelligent ball distribution and positional awareness.
Together, they created a midfield axis that stifled West Ham's attacking ambitions while providing a platform for Leicester's offensive thrust.
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For Van Nistelrooy, this performance was more than just a single-match victory. It represented a potential blueprint for Leicester's future – a high-intensity, tactically disciplined approach built on the foundation of a world-class midfield.
The manager's background at Manchester United, known for cultivating midfield talents like Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick, suggests he sees similar potential in Ndidi and Soumaré.
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His immediate recognition of their performance indicates a coaching philosophy that values technical skill, work rate, and tactical intelligence.
For Ndidi, in particular, this performance was a powerful reminder of what he can offer and his status as one of the most complete defensive midfielders in the league.
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The victory against West Ham was more than three points. It was a statement of intent, a glimpse of potential, and a testament to the transformative power of midfield excellence.
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