The Portuguese international took on a slightly different role for the final 20 minutes of the loss to Leeds and could be played there from the start against Middlesbrough
Enzo Maresca could draw on Ricardo Pereira’s attacking qualities in an advanced position as he looks to get in behind Middlesbrough and get back to winning ways.
The Leicester City manager shuffled Ricardo into one of the two number eight roles for the final quarter of the defeat to Leeds, and with none of his injured midfielders yet fit to return, he could try the Portuguese international there from the start at the Riverside Stadium, he has said.
Cesare Casadei has been Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s regular partner in the attacking midfield positions over the past few weeks while the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Yunus Akgun, and Dennis Praet have been out injured. But his struggles against Leeds saw Hamza Choudhury come on and Ricardo pushed forward, and Maresca feels he has the attributes needed to shine there.
“Yeah, Ricardo is clever, he’s intelligent,” Maresca said. “He’s a player who can play in the pocket because he’s a player who moves very well in small spaces. Against Leeds, the last 20 minutes, he did very well. So he can do that, yes.”
City fans remember Ricardo as an attacking force, the right-back using his intricate dribbling ability to score and set up goals in his first couple of seasons with the club. Under Maresca, he’s taken on a more technical position, operating at right-back out of possession, and then moving forward to help out Harry Winks in the deep midfield area when City do have the ball.
But that doesn’t mean he has lost his attacking qualities. In fact, Maresca reeled off a list of moments around the box where Ricardo has been a threat this season.
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