Introducing: “The 90”

Where we look at key individual performances and break it down in 15-minute increments throughout the game. Starting with Bilal El Khannouss and his influential display against West Ham in the Premier League earlier this season.

With just one point in their last five matches, and rapidly dropping closer and closer to the relegation zone, Leicester City needed to turn the tide when West Ham visited the King Power Stadium in December 2024.

Bilal El Khannouss – a new arrival from KRC Genk in Belgium – had yet to establish himself as a key player for the side. Thus far only limited to regular appearances off the bench.

His impact on the match is immediately noticeable, as El Khannouss launches into a high press right off the bat and harries the West Ham defence into conceding a throw-in deep in their territory in the opening minute of the match.

This overturn of possession is recycled back to the Leicester defence, before turning to El Khannouss who cuts inside the recieve in the left half-space. With a quick spin, he delivers a well weighted through ball to the onrushing Jamie Vardy, who takes a couple of touches before slotting home the opening goal of the game before the two-minute mark. The VAR review would reveal that, had El Khannouss not instantly spotted the movement of Vardy and made the pass half a second later, the Englishman would have been offside. Quick thinking turned possession, into chance, into goal.

Minutes later, the Morrocan forward recieves the ball, this time closer to the byline. Instead of spinning inwards as with the earlier through ball to Vardy, he instead releases Leicester City fullback, Kristiansen, down the touchline. This move ultimately leads to another goalscoring opportunity for Jamie Vardy, who is this time unable to convert.

But El Khannouss is not limited to impact in the middle and final thirds, in a volatile opening 15 minutes, he’s also called into action in defence, where he tracks back to ensure that West Ham get no “free passes” to launch crosses from their right hand side. Crucial interventions limit opponent opportunities, and link-ups in the defensive third help Leicester City break the press and advance forward.

As the game advances, West Ham begin to squeeze and press for an equaliser. El Khannouss begins to find more joy in the central areas rather than the wide left flank. Continuously coming inside and linking possession.

His move to the inside is a necessary one as Leicester City struggle to retain possession and build attacks, though El Khannouss is involved in building out an attack of their own as he moves into the right half-space to deliver a lovely lofted ball in behind for McAteer that leads to a crossing opportunity. Though that eventual cross sails just over the head of Jamie Vardy.

As the game approaches half-time, the job becomes a significantly more defensive one. Specifically, El Khannouss is tasked with tracking Jarrod Bowen and ensuring that the Hammers cannot create an overload in and around the left side of Leicester City’s penalty area.

At times, El Khannouss operates as a left-back as his side is pinned deep into their own territory. His defensive work is unrefined, but enthusiastic. Occasionally finding himself out of position, El Khannouss is always quick to sprint back and cover off the threat. West Ham generate 10 shots in this 15-minute period alone.

El Khannouss once again meanders into the centre of the pitch and the right half-space in an attempt to create counter threat, but ultimately little comes of it. Nonetheless, Leicester City achieve their goal and enter the half-time break one goal ahead.

The onset of the 2nd half brings around a shift for Leicester and El Khannouss, with the Foxes now operating in a steady 4-4-2 out of possession and the Moroccan instructed to press centrally alongside Jamie Vardy. As opposed to the incredibly deep defensive positions he often held in the first 45 minutes.

This change of position will become very decisive almost immediately…

Right on cue, as the clock ticks past 60′, El Khannouss finds himself on the end of a Leicester City attack to put the home side two goals up against the run of play.

A ball over the top out to the wide area sends McAteer running down the left hand side. El Khannouss – now occupying his central space – holds his run between the opposition centre-back and midfield, creating a pocket of space. As El Khannouss arrives at the egde of the area, McAteer sends the ball across, and El Khannouss handles the rest. A sliding finish sends the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal, well beyond the reach of Fabianski.

It’s a tidy finish that valued accuracy over power, but still carried enough pace to beat the goalkeeper. Though the goal itself is a result of positional awareness and finding that pocket of space – with a healthy dose of credit to kasey McAteer for the assist, and Facundo Buonanotte for finding the initial long pass into McAteer.

Shortly after, El Khannouss delivers a superb cross from the right hand side, landing square on the head of Wilfried Ndidi who is unable to convert into what should be Leicester City’s third, and El Khannouss’ third goal contribution of the match.

In his final meaningful contribution to the match, El Khannouss threads an excellent through ball to McAteer after picking up a loose pass in midfield. The pass itself is weighted perfectly, but what is perhaps more impressive is the manner of the pass itself. On the half volley, and facing his own goal, El Khannouss spins and hits the ball in one clean motion, leaving no opportunity for an opposition midfielder to apply pressure and prevent the pass from happening.

In the 74th minute, El Khannouss is replaced after picking up a knock.

The performance against West Ham in December may well be looked back on as his “breakout match”. For which he was rewarded with a regular starting berth for the remainder of the season as Leicester battled onto the bitter end. Suffering an early relegation, but earning the limited dignity in being “the best of the worst”.

As Leicester prepare for the Championship, it looks likely El Khannouss will depart after just one season at the King Power Stadium. With reports suggesting Wolves see him as a Matheus Cunha replacement, while Arsenal may pursue a deal to add depth to their attacking options.