Why Kelechi Iheanacho Was Manchester City’s Most Surprising Player in 2015/16

When Kelechi Iheanacho scored his first goal for Manchester City—a last-gasp winner against Crystal Palace back in September—it felt like a hugely significant moment, both for the player and the club.

Hailed as a forward with real potential, the excitement ahead of his debut against Watford in the previous game was palpable. Those who had seen him, either in City’s academy or during two of his preseason tours with the senior side, felt sure this was a young man with everything needed to excel in the first team, and the goal that continued City’s 100 per cent start to the new campaign only stoked the feeling.

The calmness with which he finished wasn’t replicated in his wild celebration, a moment now part of City folklore. This, it felt, was the start of something special.

He went on to earn the man of the match award in the League Cup win over Palace in October, scoring one and assisting two. He scored a beauty against Tottenham at the Etihad and two away at Southampton as his team faltered badly. His performance at Aston Villa, where he scored his first senior hat-trick, was an honour to witness.

His statistics for the season tell only a part of the story. He scored 14 goals from just 1,198 minutes of football in all competitions—a goal every 86 minutes.

And he finished with the best goals-to-minutes ratio in the Premier League, ahead of Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy.

TOP 15/16 #BPL …

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