There have been four Nigeria internationals play in the Premier League this season and 2020 is shaping up as offering different challenges for each of them.
What can the Nigerians in the top flight of English football expect from the rest of the campaign? Let’s find out!
Iwobi can stake a claim at Ancelotti’s Toffees
Alex Iwobi’s big money from Arsenal to Everton from this past summer hasn’t really got going just yet. Once he’s shaken off a hamstring problem, then he’s the type of versatile forward who could serve new Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti well.
The Italian coach, famously sacked by Chelsea after a final day defeat at Goodison Park in 2011, is arguably the most high-profile manager ever appointed on the blue half of Merseyside. There are grand ambitions at Everton and Iwobi can play a part in achieving those.
Such is the confidence in Ancelotti’s appointment that he’s being tipped to steer the Toffees to a top 10 finish in the Premier League at https://betting.betfair.com/football/ with odds of 4/7.
Iwobi faces competition for places in attack, so needs to knuckle down and impress his new boss when he resumes training.
Ndidi and Iheanacho face different roles at Foxes
Wilfried Ndidi was signed by Leicester City in the winter of 2016-17 to replace N’Golo Kante after their against all odds Premier League title triumph the previous season.
That success for the Foxes was one of the biggest shocks in football and sports betting history as they belied a 5000/1 pre-season price and lifted the trophy.
Brendan Rodgers has got Leicester back to something like their best after a natural dip in form.
His impact on the side since joining from Celtic as reported at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/ hasn’t affected Ndidi who remains the midfield anchorman.
The Foxes start 2020 as the team closest to runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool, but do face a big ask to try and catch them. They are odds-on at 1/7 for a top four finish and to bring Champions League football back to the King Power Stadium and 9/2 for to complete the season in the top two.
Ndidi’s fellow Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho, meanwhile, is struggling for starts. This isn’t due to anything bad he’s done with Leicester since signing from Manchester City, but because of scintillating form of fellow Foxes striker Jamie Vardy.
Rodgers has built his team around Vardy’s counter-attacking style, so Iheanacho has to play second fiddle with the ex-England frontman enjoys a purple patch. Iheanacho still has a role to play off the bench or when Vardy needs a rest, though.
Success would be Hornets’ survival
Isaac Success has been on the fringes of a difficult campaign for last season’s FA Cup finalists Watford.
Nigel Pearson is the third different Hornets’ boss at Vicarage Road this term as the notorious trigger happy owners try to keep the club in the Premier League.
Former Leicester manager Pearson has already earned some big results with home wins over Manchester United as reported at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ and relegation rivals Aston Villa. Watford (8/11) are now a slightly bigger price than Villa (4/7) to go down in the betting.
Success could provide impact on the wing off the bench, but is clearly behind forwards such as Troy Deeney and Gerard Deulofeu in the Hornets’ pecking order.
Watford are 10/11 to stay up and that will vindicate the coaching chaos this Nigerian has become accustomed to while playing for the Hertfordshire club.
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