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Fans have questioned the absence of Super Eagles' Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City's MOTM nominees after his performance against West Ham.
Fans of Leicester City and followers of the Premier League have expressed their outrage over the omission of Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi from the club's nominees for Man of the Match following a stellar performance against West Ham United.
The match, held on Tuesday night, marked a strong start for Leicester under new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who guided the team to a convincing 3-1 victory at the King Power Stadium.
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Ndidi's Impressive Performance
Ndidi, who played from start to finish, was instrumental in Leicester's success despite not contributing any goals or assists.
His statistics were remarkable: he completed 86% of his passes, recorded 64 touches, achieved 100% success in dribbles, and won six tackles—the highest in the match.
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Additionally, he won 14 duels, made three interceptions, and cleared the ball seven times. These contributions were crucial in maintaining Leicester's defensive solidity and facilitating their attacking play.
Despite this "colossal" display, Ndidi was notably absent from the shortlist for Player of the Match after the game. Instead, the nominees included Morocco’s Bilal El Khannouss—who scored one goal and assisted another and emerged winner—alongside Kasey McAteer and Mads Hermansen.
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This decision sparked frustration among fans who felt that Ndidi's performance warranted recognition.
The reaction on social media was swift and vocal. Many fans took to the club’s post to voice their discontent with Leicester's decision to overlook Ndidi. Comments included:
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“How is he not on this list? Admin didn't watch the game,” a fan stated before another said; “Ndidi and Soumaré deserve mentions, so does VK.”
“Wilfred Ndidi and it’s not even close! He was colossal tonight!” said another disappointed fan whose opinion was corroborated by yet another supporter; “Has to be Ndidi; didn’t have a goal or assist but had all the area from the halfway line to our goalposts on lockdown.”
“Ndidi—he was flying everywhere defending,” another follower added. “Looked like his old self out there. Others had brighter flashes, but he consistently shined tonight.”
These comments reflect a consensus among supporters that Ndidi played a pivotal role in securing the victory against West Ham.
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Leicester vs West Ham: The Match Overview
Leicester City kicked off the match with high energy, quickly establishing dominance over West Ham, who recovered to control most of the possession in the game.
The Foxes took an early lead through Jamie Vardy's goal just two minutes into the game. They maintained pressure throughout the first half, with El Khannouss scoring shortly after the hour mark to extend their advantage.
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Although West Ham managed to pull one back in the second half, Leicester's overall performance was commendable.
Ndidi’s contributions were particularly significant during critical moments of the game. His ability to disrupt West Ham's attacking plays and regain possession was vital for Leicester as they sought to control the midfield.
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But the decision to exclude the Nigerian from the Man of the Match nominees has raised eyebrows and sparked debate among fans.
His performance against West Ham showed his importance to Leicester City and reaffirmed his status as one of the key players under new manager Van Nistelrooy.
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