Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare has claimed that he gave Riyad Mahrez a "kick up the backside" ahead of Monday night's Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion.
The winger, who made it clear during the summer that he wanted to leave the Foxes, has struggled to reach influential form since he failed to secure a move away.
Against the Baggies, though, the Algerian international got off the mark by scoring his first goal of the season, which turned out to be an equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium.
"I left him out against Bournemouth, gave him a kick up the backside and he was excellent in training," Shakespeare told BBC Sport. "You want the response and the right response.
"When you have as much possession as we did and then go a goal down you are always worried how it affects the players but we showed the spirit we have and the resilience and we deserved a goal.
"We could do with a win, make no mistake. I see them in training everyday in terms of the quality and endeavour. Once we get that win then hopefully we will climb up the table.
"We know what we have to do. It is tight down there and one win takes you three or four places up and that is what we aim to do."
Leicester sit in the relegation zone of the league table having won one, drawn three and lost four.
The 2015-16 champions have not tasted victory since the second weekend of the season in August.
Danielle Joynson
