Leicester City have faced a lot of criticism recently due to their woes both on and off the pitch.
Enzo Maresca‘s side suffered a run of four league defeats in six over the last few weeks, all while their Profit and Sustainability saga was going on behind the scenes.
It saw them drop out of the top two for a period, with the high-flying Leeds United and Ipswich Town surpassing them.
Though, two wins in two has brought the good feeling back at King Power Stadium and it’s put The Foxes back to the summit of the table.
They looked back to their best on the weekend, as they defeated Birmingham City 2-1, with Stephy Mavididi netting an 87th-minute.
The 25-year-old, speaking post-match, fired a pretty stark message to those who had been doubting his side.
Leicester City ace Stephy Mavididi wants to ‘shut people up’
Mavididi has enjoyed a productive debut campaign at the East Midlanders, having arrived from Ligue 1 outfit Montpellier last summer.
The fleet-footed wide player netted his 13th goal in all competitions against the visiting Blues on Saturday, which turned out to be the match-winner.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leicester post-match, he delivered a stark message to critics doubting Leicester in the automatic promotion race.
“I feel like there’s been pressure on us for the majority of the season,” the former Arsenal academy star said.
“I don’t know why I just feel like everyone is against us, they don’t want us to go up.
“Me personally, I just like to shut people up and whether that’s getting the goals or putting in the performances, that’s what we need to do as a collective.
“Just keep proving the doubters wrong.”
- READ MORE: Inside the life of Stephy Mavididi
Stephy Mavididi has the right mentality
It was a pretty blunt and honest statement from Mavididi but one that evidences his elite mentality to prove naysayers wrong.
You need that sort of edge in the dressing room, as it fires others up to use criticism as motivation heading into the run-in.
For much of 2024, the Leicester wide player has struggled to replicate his early season form but of late, he’s looked back to his electric best.
Maybe when things are going plain sailing, he takes his foot off the gas a little, but clearly, when stakes are high, he delivers.
Maresca needs to find a way to improve Mavididi’s consistency, which he has noted before as an improvement he must make.