Leicester face Brentford on Friday aiming for under a 3rd win in 12 Premier League video games beneath Ruud van Nistelrooy. No participant is extra essential to their hopes of getting it than Bilal El Khannouss.
The 20-year-old midfielder, a £21m signing from Genk in August, has been one among few positives in a poor season for the membership, beginning each recreation since Van Nistelrooy succeeded Steve Cooper in November and displaying star high quality in adversity. The specter of relegation looms however his personal future on the prime appears to be like safe.
He was important to Leicester’s two Premier League wins beneath the brand new boss. El Khannouss arrange Jamie Vardy’s opener and scored the second himself within the 3-1 victory over West Ham in his first recreation in cost. He struck the winner in final month’s 2-1 triumph at Spurs.
Each of his targets in these video games, alongside along with his elegant, outside-of-the-boot strike in Leicester’s Carabao Cup loss to Manchester United in October, have been handed into the online in a method acquainted to his coaches at Genk, the place his guile shone by from a younger age.
“We did quite a lot of taking pictures with him. Not taking pictures with energy, however all the time going to the corners,” Miguel Ribeiro, Genk’s first-team technical and particular person coach, tells Sky Sports activities.
That precision shines by in his recreation now. El Khannouss is a pleasure to observe and a pleasure to work with too, in keeping with Ribeiro, who says his optimistic affect within the Premier League, after racking up practically 100 senior appearances for Genk, has come as no shock.
“I all the time thought he would adapt very quick when he obtained the prospect as a result of he did it at Genk. From the primary second he educated with the first-team, it was clear. Perhaps he needed to make some steps bodily, as a result of he was 17 or 18, however football-wise it was simple for him.”
The Belgian membership have a popularity for nurturing younger expertise having developed Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard and lots of others.
They’ve equally excessive hopes for El Khannouss.
“We took him when he was 14 from Anderlecht, the place they did not consider in him as a lot as we did,” says Ribeiro. “He was a tiny, slight boy at that age, very skinny. However he had unbelievable ft and nice imaginative and prescient, and he was all the time hungry to be taught and do additional stuff.
“The way in which you’re seeing him play for Leicester is the best way he educated right here with us. At all times joyful, with a giant smile, working onerous. In fact, he wants the boldness of his coach, however I feel he has obtained that with Van Nistelrooy, changing into a starter. You’ll be able to see he has grown.”
Bilal El Khannouss celebrates after scoring Leicester’s winner in opposition to Tottenham
Having solely began 4 video games of a potential 15 beneath Cooper, El Khannouss has been one among two ever-presents beneath Van Nistelrooy together with James Justin. Leicester’s outcomes have been poor. However it isn’t simply of their uncommon victories that El Khannouss has shone.
Arsenal stored him quiet final outing however he regarded proper at residence in opposition to prime opposition within the 2-0 loss to Manchester Metropolis in December, throughout which he made twice as many dribbles as some other participant and ranked prime for duels received and final-third passes. He was wonderful once more within the current FA Cup loss to Manchester United.
These have been standout performances from the Morocco worldwide, who has 18 caps for his nation, however his quick footwork and technical class have delighted supporters persistently.
Able someplace between a No 10 and a left-sided No 8, El Khannouss glides throughout the turf, honing in on gaps in defences and making an attempt to make issues occur. He’s Leicester’s spark. Supporters confirmed how extremely they price him after they booed the choice to take him off early in final month’s loss to Fulham.
Bilal El Khannouss
“He by no means has an issue to play beneath strain. He by no means hides,” provides Ribeiro. They have been essential traits as a young person at Genk; they’re much more essential now, within the context of a relegation battle at Leicester. “He’s not afraid to take dangers and he virtually all the time performs ahead,” continues Ribeiro. “He finds may areas between the traces and sees the sport very quick.”
Genk have been affected person along with his bodily improvement – “we do not push younger guys to do an excessive amount of gymnasium; we allow them to develop,” says Ribeiro – and as a substitute sought to maximise his innate skill to learn the sport.
“I used to inform those that he had eyes on his again, as a result of he sees all the pieces,” chuckles Ribeiro. “If you watch him, you see he’s all the time checking round him and looking out over his shoulders.
“That was one thing I talked about with him when he started beginning for the first-team at Genk, that he wanted to always verify his again. They name it ‘scanning’ however, for me, it is simply checking your shoulders to see the place the areas are.
“Once more, he took the recommendation very well.”
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That work later ensured El Khannouss was geared up for the elevated velocity of the Premier League. There was additionally a deal with how he acquired the ball. “We labored on quick turns, to instantly face the opponent’s aim and provides himself extra choices as a substitute of simply opening vast on one facet,” says Ribeiro
“In case you flip all the best way, you may give your self 5 or 6 choices for the following cross, utilizing your left or your proper foot. Now, you’ll be able to see that he turns fantastically quick on the ball, although he’s not a brief participant. Folks watch him do it now and say, ‘Wow’, however we’ve got seen it for years.”
Ribeiro describes El Khannouss’s future as “very, very shiny” and Van Nistelrooy sees it the identical means. “I feel you are going to see much more of him along with his age and profile,” stated the Leicester boss earlier this month. “His potential is there to be a prime participant within the Champions League. He can go a great distance.”
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Bilal El Khannouss scored the winner in Leicester’s 2-1 win over Spurs
The subsequent step, within the brief time period, is to extend his end-product.
El Khannouss turned key for Genk, twice successful the Belgian league’s greatest younger participant award. However his numbers have been modest, albeit as a young person, with 4 targets and 10 assists in 61 league appearances. The identical is true at Leicester, the place he has two targets and one help in 20 Premier League video games to date.
How they’d cherish a spike in his productiveness now. In truth, their hopes of Premier League survival might depend upon it. At solely 20 years previous, although, and a shining gentle in a struggling staff, El Khannouss already appears to be like destined for giant issues.
Watch Leicester vs Brentford dwell on Sky Sports activities Premier League and Fundamental Occasion from 7.30pm on Friday Night time Soccer; kick-off 8pm
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