Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has backed midfielder James Maddison to bounce back amid questions over the 24-year-old's form.
Maddison, who arrived from Norwich City at the beginning of the 2018-19 season, registered seven goals and seven assists in his first season in the English top flight, before increasing that to eight goals and seven assists last term.
However, the Englishman has now failed to register a goal or assist in his last 15 outings for the Foxes, despite starting in all of their first four games of the new campaign, but Rodgers believes his midfielder will be able to find his form when the team improves on the whole.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash with Napoli, the Northern Irish manager said: "Every player will always go through a period, especially with the rise James has had over these past few years. Over the course of the last 12 to 15 months, injuries have held him back more than his actual talent."
Certain fitness issues have cost the midfielder game time in recent years, with Maddison forced to miss nine games through injury since the beginning of last season.
The Foxes boss continued, saying: "The level he has been at, and every footballer is the same, you go through a period where you don't quite hit the heights. But I've no doubt that over the course of the season, once he gets his rhythm and we start to improve, not just individually but as a team, he will get that form back."
After the midweek clash with Napoli, the Midlands outfit return to Premier League action on Sunday with a trip to take on Brighton & Hove Albion.
Sam Varley
