Rotherham 1-2 Leicester City: Kasey McAteer’s first senior goals hands Enzo Maresca’s side all three points as the Foxes remain unbeaten in the Championship
- A Kasey McAteer brace helped Leicester earn the win against Rotherham
- Victory at the New York Stadium maintained the Foxes’ perfect start this season
- Defeat against the Foxes means that Rotherham remain winless in the league
Enzo Maresca was asked about what is becoming the theme tune to Leicester City’s season after Kasey McAteer’s first senior goals for the club left them tasting the rarefied air at the Championship summit.
‘Straight back up, straight back up, Leicester City…’ was the endless chant from the raucous away end after a fifth a straight win in all competitions.
Top of the table for the first time this season, two points clear of nearest challengers Ipswich and looking every inch capable of making an immediate top-flight return.
The Foxes are developing a knack of leaving it late – this was the third time this term they had claimed victory in the closing stages – but winning is becoming a habit.
‘There are 42 games to go and the season is so long,’ cautioned Maresca, who quit as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City to take the Leicester job this summer.
Kasey McAteer’s first senior goals for Leicester City helped Enzo Maresca’s side to a fifth straight win
The Foxes remain unbeaten in the league and are two points clear at the top of the table
‘How did Ipswich get on? They lost? Okay, but at this moment I don’t care to be honest.
‘It’s important that the fans are close to the team, absolutely, and they can sing anything they want.
‘But at the same time, we as a team and as a club cannot think that this will be easy. Absolutely not.’
The Italian is cutting an impressive figure in the Foxes hot-seat and having a squad dripping with quality in every department certainly helps.
This win, though, came courtesy of a homegrown talent, with 21-year-old McAteer taking centre stage.
He opened the scoring in the 12th minute and, after Rotherham equalised early in the second half through Fred Onyedinma, McAteer fired home an 84th-minute winner, sparking wild celebrations in front of the travelling supporters.
The Northampton-born forward has spent time on loan in League Two at Forest Green and AFC Wimbledon in the past couple of seasons.
But McAteer played in Leicester’s opening-day win against Coventry and took his chance against Rotherham.
Enzo Maresca’s side face Tranmere Rovers away in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday
Five of the Foxes’ seven Championship goals this season have come from academy products and Maresca added: ‘I’m very happy for Macca’s two goals, but also because he runs a lot.
‘Since day one, he’s been working in the right way.’
McAteer’s opener came when he nodded in Kelechi Iheanacho’s left-wing cross from close range, moments after Rotherham had a goal controversially ruled out.
Jordan Hugill diverted the ball into the net from a corner before Premier League referee Simon Hooper consulted with his assistant who had spotted an infringement.
Defeat against the Foxes means that Rotherham are still yet to win in the league this season
Onyedinma headed in Andre Green’s cross to level before McAteer won it for Leicester, collecting Callum Doyle’s deep cross and curling a superb left-foot shot past Viktor Johansson.
Millers boss Matt Taylor, whose side gave everything, said of the Hugill controversy: ‘It was disallowed for two reasons – offside and a foul on the goalkeeper.
‘Both were marginal, but if that’s a foul then a lot is going to get given from set-piece moments.
‘We are in a little bit of pain right now but we more than matched one of the best teams in the league.’
MATCH FACTS
ROTHERHAM UNITED (4-3-3): Johansson 6; Lembikisa 6, Humphreys 6, Blackett 7, Bramall 6; Rathbone 7 (McGuckin 88), Tiehi 6 (Kayode 81, 6), Cafu 7; Green 6 (Appiah 72, 6), Hugill 6 (Eaves 71, 6), Onyedinma 7
Subs (not used): Phillips, McCart, Bola, Morrison, Douglas
Scorer: Onyedinma 53
Booked: Humphreys, Rathbone
Manager rating: Matt Taylor 6
LEICESTER CITY (4-3-3): Hermansen 6; Pereira 6, Faes 6, Vestergaard 7, Doyle 7; Ndidi 6 (Casadei 66, 6), Winks 7, Dewsbury-Hall 6 (Choudhury 88); McAteer 8 (Justin 88), Iheanacho 7 (Vardy 59, 6), Mavididi 6
Subs (not used): Ward, Stolarczyk, Albrighton, Castagne, Thomas
Booked: Hermansen, Mavididi
Scorer: McAteer 12, 84
Manager rating: Enzo Maresca 7
Referee: Simon Hooper 6
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