The latest Leicester City news as the club had a record-breaking start to the season and are looking to seal an immediate return to the Premier League

Match of the Day presenter and Leicester City fan Gary Lineker has praised the ‘teriffic’ job that Enzo Maresca is doing at the club.

The Italian took over at the King Power Stadium in the summer, joining from Manchester City. He helped Pep Guardiola’s team to a historic treble win last season as assistant manager.

In his first few months at the club, Maresca has led City to the top of the Championship table in a record-breaking start to the season. The team are currently one point clear of second-placed Ipswich and eight points clear of Leeds United in third place.

“It is very much a possession-based style of football and we tend to wear a lot of teams down and score a lot of goals late in games. We are playing some good football and it is encouraging that we are top of the table and long may it continue until we are back in the Premier League.”

Maresca’s lack of experience in management was a small worry for some pundits and supporters following his arrival. But the Italian has quashed those worries.

“I think Leicester were mostly a passing team under Brendan Rodgers in particular, but I wasn’t worried necessarily about the style of play, but slightly concerned because I didn’t know much about him,” Lineker added. “I knew he managed in Italy and it didn’t really work for him – I think he only lasted about four or five months.

“I think like most Leicester fans we were like ‘let’s see what we have got’ because you go, ‘well he’s worked with Pep Guardiola’ but it doesn’t automatically go because you have worked with Pep Guardiola that you’re going to be good even though you would have worked a lot. We are more than happy at the moment.”

After the start to the season and the gap that City have, Lineker says that hope is rising on an immediate return to the Premier League. “You look at Leicester’s squad and it is a squad that should come back up,” he said.

“Yes, we lost a few players in the transfer window which is inevitable when you get relegated, (James) Maddison, (Harvey) Barnes, and (Youri) Tielemans in particular, but they have got a lot of good players, certainly for the Championship. I am pretty confident but as we all know, it is the hope that kills you.”