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Nigeria's Kelechi Iheanacho has said he wishes for more English Premier League action as he looks forward to be part of action for Manchester City this weekend at Crystal Palace. It would be recalled that the young star refused to be shipped away to another club like other new players when the decision making time came. Other young players like him accepted the offer of the club to join other clubs to gain experience, but Ihenacho refused and stuck to his guns to remain at Manchester city. According to him, he believed he already had enough experience to fight for shirt in the club and also win first team slot. He seems to have kept this dream alive and he is now asking for more playing time.

Having made his senior debut for City against Watford ahead of the international break, Iheanacho has said he’s definitely hungry for more senior match minutes in the future having now tasted life in the Premier League. “It’s been going great, I have been training with the first-team and the guys have been great with me and I`m really enjoying it,” Iheanacho told his club’s official website. “It was a great feeling to make my debut against Watford.

I was hoping to come on – the manager introduced me and I was very happy to come on. “I am hoping for more Premier League minutes – I have to work hard in training and then hopefully the manager will introduce me again so I can show what I can do,” he said.

The FIFA U17 World Cup champion in 2013 said he is looking forward to be involved against Crystal Palace who he said will be tough. “Crystal Palace have had a really good start so it will not be an easy game. They`re doing great, they`re all doing their jobs and there`s always a great atmosphere at Selhurst Park – it will be hard but I think we can win,” he said.

He admitted he has learnt a lot during training with more experienced players. “David Silva is a great player, a top player – high level with a lot of experience. He`s had an unbelievable start but that`s no surprise to anyone – we all know what a good player he is and it`s good for me as a striker to have someone like that in the team,” he said. “I`m learning new things every day in training – it`s been a dream come true playing with these players. With Sergio, Yaya, David and Sami – it can only improve you as a player to play with these guys.”

Ihenacho was expected to have been invited by the new Super Eagles' coach Sunday Oliseh, for the clashes against Tanzania and the friendly match that followed afterwards against Niger Republic. But the coach seemed not to have seen Ihenacho. Earlier before selection for the matches, the coach had said he would only invite players who were playing regularly in their clubs. It is known that Ihenacho's only match had been an introduction into the Watford encounter.