Drinkwater impressed with Slimani impact

Danny Drinkwater hailed the impact of new Leicester City signing Islam Slimani after the Algerian centre-forward scored twice in his Premier League debut win over Burnley on Saturday.

Slimani joined Leicester at the end of the transfer window for a reported club-record £30million and made his first league start at the King Power Stadium as the champions eased to a 3-0 victory.

The former Sporting Lisbon star made it a day to remember with a goal either side of the half-time break to leave Drinkwater impressed with his instant impact.

“It was a great performance from him on his debut,” the England international told reporters. “He deserved his goals. 

“He fits in really well because he’s a hard worker and also has ability. He has trained really well and he helps set up the way we play – he’s a really good addition to the squad.”

The match also marked a return to form for Riyad Mahrez, who enjoyed a fine performance on the right flank and played a role in all three goals, but Drinkwater was not surprised by his showing.

“It was a positive performance from Riyad,” he added. “He showed plenty of time last season what he is about – we knew he was only having a brief lapse.

“It was a generally good performance from him.”