Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho have a task on their hands to win back the striker spot from Patson Daka with Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca vowing to give the Zambian more chances.

With Vardy and Iheanacho both unavailable for the second straight game, Daka started up front again on Wednesday night, and scored again too, bundling in Wilfred Ndidi’s cross as City beat Millwall 3-2 and returned to the top of the Championship table. Daka has been on the fringes of the team for so long and it’s not the case that he’s going to return there as soon as the other two are fit.

“I’ve been quite clear with them,” Maresca said. “You are playing and you deserve it, but if for any reason you are not playing and we’re playing another one and he’s doing well, now you need to work and come back.

“At this moment, Patson is scoring goals and working hard after three or four months where he waits, waits, waits. For sure, we’re going to trust him and give him more chances, no doubt.”

It was a second straight game where City won the match in the opening period of the second half. On Saturday, they steamed through Plymouth to go from 1-0 to 4-0 up in seven minutes. This time, Jannik Vestergaard and Daka swung the game around with City trailing at the break.

City had attempted a comeback in the first half but had struggled a little, only creating a couple of good chances. Maresca said he needed to make a tactical switch at half-time, pushing Ricardo Pereira further forward.

“A tough game,” Maresca added. “We expected them in one way. Since the new manager, they have played always in a line of four. Today they came here with a line of five and two holding midfielders.

“In the first half, we were in control of the game, but without creating clear chances. At half-time, we adjusted some things. Instead of attacking with five, we attacked with six. We brought one more player in the last line. It was much better second half for sure.”