Claude Puel Full of Praise for 'Quality' Jamie Vardy & Teammates After 4-1 Win Over West Brom

Claud Puel claimed that striker Jamie Vardy and his Leicester teammates showed their true quality, after coming from behind in the 4-1 thrashing against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

There was an early scare for Puel's men when Salomon produced a close-range finish from Oliver Burke's low cross in the eighth minute. However, the away side responded emphatically when Jamie Vardy was on cue to sumptuously volley in Riyad Mahrez's delivery just after 20 minutes.

The Algerian too got on the scoresheet, while former Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho powered in a header for his first Premier League goal for Leicester since his move from the Etihad in the summer. Vicente Iborra added an extra bit of salt into the Baggie wounds late on with a header.

Puel was full of praise for Vardy after his goal which made it level in the first-half. 

The Frenchman said, as quoted by Leicester Mercury: “It was a good opportunity and a fantastic goal. It is difficult to take a ball that is coming from behind him. He has great quality and he is a good player. He shows his quality in this game.”

“We are happy with this game, not just the result but the quality we put on the pitch in the second half. We tried to start well but it was not enough. Perhaps we lacked confidence after our last draw at home. We dropped a lot of good points and didn’t get our rewards," he added.

“The first half was too open, end to end and box and box. The first half could have finished 3-3. It was crazy. We needed to manage our game better in the second half, with more calm and quality. It was interesting to keep the ball on the floor and work West Brom more. We found the clinical edge with a fantastic goal

"This was a good reward for the team. I am happy of course because it was a good reward for all the squad and not just the starting players. 

"We made some changes from the last game and the substitutes made a good impact, like Iheanacho, Fousseni Diabate and Albrighton. It is a good feeling for us. We have good momentum and now it is important to keep this good feeling.”

That win for the Foxes further cements their push for a top half finish as they sit in eight just five points behind sixth-placed Arsenal.

Puel's side are next in action when they take on Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Their next league match is against a resurgent Brighton side, before games against Newcastle and Burnley.