Bilal El Khannouss: Leicester midfielder with ‘eyes in his again’ and ‘unbelievable toes’ exhibiting star high quality in adversity | Soccer Information

Leicester face Brentford on Friday aiming for under a 3rd win in 12 Premier League video games beneath Ruud van Nistelrooy. No participant is extra necessary to their hopes of getting it than Bilal El Khannouss.

The 20-year-old midfielder, a £21m signing from Genk in August, has been one in every of few positives in a poor season for the membership, beginning each recreation since Van Nistelrooy succeeded Steve Cooper in November and exhibiting star high quality in adversity. The specter of relegation looms however his personal future on the high appears to be like safe.

He was very important to Leicester’s two Premier League wins beneath the brand new boss. El Khannouss arrange Jamie Vardy’s opener and scored the second himself within the 3-1 victory over West Ham in his first recreation in cost. He struck the winner in final month’s 2-1 triumph at Spurs.

Each of his objectives in these video games, alongside together with his elegant, outside-of-the-boot strike in Leicester’s Carabao Cup loss to Manchester United in October, have been handed into the web in a method acquainted to his coaches at Genk, the place his guile shone by from a younger age.

“We did numerous capturing with him. Not capturing with energy, however at all times going to the corners,” Miguel Ribeiro, Genk’s first-team technical and particular person coach, tells Sky Sports activities.

That precision shines by in his recreation now. El Khannouss is a pleasure to observe and a pleasure to work with too, based on Ribeiro, who says his constructive affect within the Premier League, after racking up almost 100 senior appearances for Genk, has come as no shock.

“I at all times thought he would adapt very quick when he acquired the prospect as a result of he did it at Genk. From the primary second he educated with the first-team, it was clear. Perhaps he needed to make some steps bodily, as a result of he was 17 or 18, however football-wise it was straightforward for him.”

The Belgian membership have a repute for nurturing younger expertise having developed Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard and lots of others.

They’ve equally excessive hopes for El Khannouss.

“We took him when he was 14 from Anderlecht, the place they did not consider in him as a lot as we did,” says Ribeiro. “He was a tiny, slight boy at that age, very skinny. However he had unbelievable toes and nice imaginative and prescient, and he was at all times hungry to be taught and do additional stuff.

“The best way you’re seeing him play for Leicester is the way in which he educated right here with us. All the time blissful, with a giant smile, working exhausting. After all, he wants the boldness of his coach, however I feel he has acquired that with Van Nistelrooy, changing into a starter. You’ll be able to see he has grown.”

Having solely began 4 video games of a attainable 15 beneath Cooper, El Khannouss has been one in every of two ever-presents beneath Van Nistelrooy together with James Justin. Leicester’s outcomes have been poor. However it’s not simply of their uncommon victories that El Khannouss has shone.

Arsenal saved him quiet final day trip however he regarded proper at residence in opposition to high opposition within the 2-0 loss to Manchester Metropolis in December, throughout which he made twice as many dribbles as some other participant and ranked high for duels received and final-third passes. He was glorious once more within the latest FA Cup loss to Manchester United.

These have been standout performances from the Morocco worldwide, who has 18 caps for his nation, however his quick footwork and technical class have delighted supporters constantly.

Ready someplace between a No 10 and a left-sided No 8, El Khannouss glides throughout the turf, honing in on gaps in defences and making an attempt to make issues occur. He’s Leicester’s spark. Supporters confirmed how extremely they fee him after they booed the choice to take him off early in final month’s loss to Fulham.

“He by no means has an issue to play beneath stress. He by no means hides,” provides Ribeiro. They have been necessary traits as a teen at Genk; they’re much more necessary now, within the context of a relegation battle at Leicester. “He’s not afraid to take dangers and he nearly at all times performs ahead,” continues Ribeiro. “He finds may areas between the strains and sees the sport very quick.”

Genk have been affected person together with his bodily improvement – “we do not push younger guys to do an excessive amount of fitness center; we allow them to develop,” says Ribeiro – and as a substitute sought to maximise his innate skill to learn the sport.

“I used to inform those who he had eyes on his again, as a result of he sees the whole lot,” chuckles Ribeiro. “Whenever you watch him, you see he’s at all times checking round him and looking out over his shoulders.

“That was one thing I talked about with him when he started beginning for the first-team at Genk, that he wanted to continually examine his again. They name it ‘scanning’ however, for me, it is simply checking your shoulders to see the place the areas are.

“Once more, he took the recommendation very well.”

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That work later ensured El Khannouss was outfitted for the elevated pace of the Premier League. There was additionally a deal with how he obtained the ball. “We labored on quick turns, to right away face the opponent’s purpose and provides himself extra choices as a substitute of simply opening vast on one facet,” says Ribeiro

“When you flip all the way in which, you can provide your self 5 or 6 choices for the following cross, utilizing your left or your proper foot. Now, you possibly can see that he turns fantastically quick on the ball, although he isn’t a brief participant. Folks watch him do it now and say, ‘Wow’, however we have now seen it for years.”

Ribeiro describes El Khannouss’s future as “very, very brilliant” and Van Nistelrooy sees it the identical approach. “I feel you are going to see much more of him together with his age and profile,” mentioned the Leicester boss earlier this month. “His potential is there to be a high participant within the Champions League. He can go a good distance.”

The following step, within the quick time period, is to extend his end-product.

El Khannouss turned key for Genk, twice profitable the Belgian league’s greatest younger participant award. However his numbers have been modest, albeit as a teen, with 4 objectives and 10 assists in 61 league appearances. The identical is true at Leicester, the place he has two objectives and one help in 20 Premier League video games up to now.

How they’d cherish a spike in his productiveness now. In reality, their hopes of Premier League survival could rely on it. At solely 20 years outdated, although, and a shining gentle in a struggling crew, El Khannouss already appears to be like destined for large issues.

Watch Leicester vs Brentford reside on Sky Sports activities Premier League and Fundamental Occasion from 7.30pm on Friday Night time Soccer; kick-off 8pm