Tuesday 2 October 2018 13:10, UK
James Maddison's display against Liverpool was so assured it looked like the Leicester midfielder had been playing in the Premier League for years, according to Jamie Redknapp.
Despite the 2-1 loss at the King Power on Saturday, the 21-year-old midfielder - who only joined the club from Norwich for an initial £22m in June - still produced a standout performance in the 'hole' against the league leaders.
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"He ran the game today in a midfield full of international players and I was surprised he [Claude Puel] took him off with 10 minutes to go as I would have kept him on," said the Sky Sports pundit.
"I thought he was fantastic, 21 years old, fourth game in the Premier League and he looks like he has been here for years.
"I was so impressed and was looking forward to watching him today. He is so comfortable on the ball, plays little one-twos, always looking to pass forward.
"And also the first to press, wins a lot of balls back high up the pitch and I just thought his imagination and passing in the midfield area, which was so congested, was just brilliant, it really was.
I thought he was fantastic, 21 years old, fourth game in the Premier League and he looks like he has been here for years
"He was so clever and unlucky not to get his goal, but it was a fantastic tackle by Joe Gomez, the little reverse ball."
Maddison was included in the England U21 squad in midweek, but Redknapp thinks he is just the type of player the seniors are currently lacking.
"One of the problems we [England] had in the World Cup was we didn't have enough players who could control the ball and pass it," said the former England international and Liverpool midfielder.
"And at times we struggled in that area where you think about Luka Modric, who can receive the ball off the line and take it in a No 10 role, which is so hard to do.
"We do not have many players who can do that in this country and hopefully there are now many more kids like this coming through.
"Players that are young and comfortable on the ball like Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho, young English talents who can play and just pass the ball and run with it, just clever passes.
"That is what we need and I was so impressed with him today."
