- Denmark international goalkeeper says Vardy is a pleasure to play alongside
- The Foxes next take on Arsenal at King Power Stadium in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday
As Leicester City prepare to lock horns with Arsenal on Saturday, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has hailed striker Jamie Vardy following his fine start to the 2015/16 campaign.
Vardy has netted four times in just six top-flight appearances and is just one goal off equalling his total for last season. His strikes have had a significant contribution in City’s stunning start to the campaign given three of those goals have been equalisers.
For Schmeichel, Vardy’s tenacity, persistence and eye for goal are valuable characteristics and that sort of firepower will be more than welcome against a talented Gunners side on Saturday.
“The thing about Vards (Jamie Vardy) is he came here from Fleetwood and had a difficult first season,” Schmeichel said.
“From there it could have gone one of two ways. He could have dropped off and not made the step up, but the way he is, the way he trains, his mentality and the way he plays epitomises everything about him.
“He is an amazing striker and an amazing guy. When I go home to Denmark the person that everyone talks about is Jamie Vardy because they love his attitude. As a team mate it is a pleasure to play with someone like that.
“He is a Premier League striker now and an England international, and that is purely down to his mentality, how much he wanted it, how hard he was willing to work and how much he was prepared to sacrifice. He has taken the step up and he deserves it.”
In their last four Premier League fixtures, the Foxes have conceded first, but their unquestionable spirit and fearless character has seen them mount some astonishing comebacks that mean they are the only unbeaten team in England’s top flight.
Schmeichel added: “The way we play sometimes we are very open and expansive. We leave gaps and when you make mistakes like we did at Stoke you are going to concede goals in this league.
“You obviously go out hoping to keep a clean sheet but we are up against quality players and if you give them a chance they will punish you.
“But when you are part of a team like this you never give up, you keep on going and working, and you are confident you will get something out of the game. We are on a great run now and we just have to keep it going.”