Maddison Underlines City Strengths In Watford Draw

- Leicester City’s James Maddison says his side were good value for all three points on Saturday
- The Foxes were held to a 1-1 Premier League draw at Watford in their return to action
- Ben Chilwell’s brilliant goal was cancelled out by Craig Dawson in stoppage time

The Foxes made a return to action after a 103-day pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing the spoils in a behind-closed-doors encounter with Nigel Pearson’s side in Hertfordshire.

City had initially taken the lead when Ben Chilwell unleashed a stunner into the top corner on 90 minutes, only for Hornets centre-back Craig Dawson to level matters with an acrobatic effort in injury time.

“[We’re] disappointed, we dominated the game,” Maddison told LCFC TV. “Obviously, the first one back is always going to be strange, a bit ropey, a bit cagey in the first 10 minutes.

“But I think over the 90 minutes, we were definitely the fitter, more dominant team and created the better chances. They had one on the break with [Ismaïla] Sarr, but Kasper [Schmeichel] made a good save, but apart from that second half, I can't remember a chance until the very last minute.  

“But there's a lot of positives to take. I think there's some good performances in there. We've scored a great goal, we could have had more. But we're a tad unlucky with the set piece, to be honest, we actually defended well.

“We get first contact from Vards (Jamie Vardy) at the front post and it actually hits the lad's foot and loops back into the path of the centre-half who's probably never scored an overhead-kick in his life. But listen, it was a good finish in the end. We'll have to take the point and move on to Tuesday.”

A close friend of Chilwell’s, Maddison revealed he and his team-mates encouraged the No.3 to shoot during a previous attacking move – and that paid dividends for Brendan Rodgers’ men.

"I was actually calling for the ball, I think I was probably moaning at him for not giving it me,” said Maddison when recalling Chilwell’s goal.

“But he had one about five minutes before. He picked it up in the same position where I gave it him and he chose not to shoot. I played it wide and I said to him: 'Chilly, you can pull the trigger'.

“He's got great quality with his left foot and he showed that when he got the second time lucky. A great finish and a great goal.”

Maddison says City’s first outing since March proved to be an enjoyable one, and he could have had a goal of his own, were it not for a brilliant save from Ben Foster.

“I’m so happy, playing with a smile on my face, back doing what we love,” he said. “Obviously, I’m so excited and happy to be back but then straightaway, I'm so disappointed that we missed out on two points because that's the game.

“We're so hungry to do well and secure that Champions League space. So, [it’s] kind of two points dropped, I feel, but I felt good, I felt strong even towards the end. I could have had a goal or an assist on another day.

“Ben Foster made two great saves in about 30 seconds, I think it was, but like I said, we take the positives as a team and we move on to Tuesday.”