Patson Daka may be approaching a year without a Leicester City goal, yet he could arguably be their most efficient forward.
Not since smashing home the decisive third in the 3-1 triumph over West Ham last December has Daka been able to celebrate a competitive strike.
During that period, he’s featured in 38 matches for City. If he fails to score in the next three fixtures — against Stoke, Southampton, or Sheffield United — he will officially surpass a full year without finding the back of the net.
It’s a woeful spell for any striker, and digging deeper into the statistics does little to inspire optimism.
While many of Daka’s 38 outings have come as a substitute, he’s still accumulated 1,684 minutes on the pitch — the equivalent of more than 18 complete matches.
Across those minutes, he’s registered 28 attempts on goal, averaging one every 60 minutes. Some might argue his finishing has been the issue, but it can equally be said he’s failed to get into enough promising positions to increase his chances.
Yet the irony at Leicester is that, despite all this, Daka might still be their most impactful striker.
He’s faster and more energetic than Jordan Ayew and Julian Carranza, enabling him to press opponents more aggressively, unsettling defenders and goalkeepers alike. That pressure not only helps City regain possession but also pushes the team higher up the field.
His movement and runs into the penalty area also open up space for those behind him, with Ayew’s deeper positioning often congesting the centre of the pitch.
Moreover, despite his struggles in front of goal, Daka still provides valuable contributions — as seen when he cleverly nodded down to assist Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s equaliser last weekend.
Manager Marti Cifuentes appreciates Daka’s contribution to the team dynamic and insists the forward’s confidence hasn’t dipped during his barren spell.
“I think that he’s a very good pro,” the manager said. “He always brings good energy. He’s training so well.
“I can imagine how frustrating it can be for him, especially because in some of the games, against Middlesbrough for instance, he had a good situation between the centre-halves, but the control went. The pass was not easy.
“But he’s working for the team and that’s what I value for the team. Hopefully it will change and I’m going to be very glad for him.
“What we need from strikers is just one goal to make sure they grow in confidence.”
And there’s proof that can happen. Kelechi Iheanacho also went over a year without scoring for City, but once he broke the drought, he went on a brilliant run of 29 goals in 65 appearances across the next two seasons.