Leicester's Brendan Rodgers says Jamie Vardy showing he is one of the best strikers in Europe

Soccer Football - Premier League - Leicester City v Watford - King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain - December 4, 2019 Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.Show less

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers believes Jamie Vardy's dedication and hard work helping him prove he is one of the best strikers in Europe.

The Foxes travel to Aston Villa on Sunday looking to extend their winning run of Premier League matches to eight to maintain their hopes of a top-four finish.

Vardy's goals have helped propel Leicester to second in the table, with the former England striker scoring in each of his last seven appearances.

With nine in total in those games Vardy's tally stands at 14 for the season, and 23 overall following Rodgers' arrival in February.

It is a stunning about-turn for the 32-year-old, who struggled last season for goals under Claude Puel prior to the Frenchman's sacking.

"The huge credit is to him," insisted Rodgers. "He's an incredible talent who has all the attributes that big teams look for in their profile of a striker - fast and hard working. Through all my days, that's the profile of player I like, too.

"Coming into here, I knew he was one of best in Europe, and it was a case of giving him the confidence to show that.

"Sometimes players can get into their early 30s and be written off. But in seeing his energy and speed, it was a case of him fitting into how we wanted to work, which I felt would be fairly easy.

"And he wants to work, to run in behind, to press, so with how I like teams to play, he was a natural.

"So the huge praise goes to him, to take on board what we wanted, and then to have that consistency and hunger, and that's proven very impressive."

Rodgers singled out Villa's own special talent in captain Jack Grealish - who is earning rave reviews for his displays this season following the club's promotion to the top flight.

"I've spoken to him a little bit and he's a really good boy," said Rodgers. "He's a wonderful player who is playing the game with great maturity.

"Jack has always had that big talent, and he's a real talisman for them, someone who can make a pass and is very creative. He's a player we have to be mindful of."

Eslewhere on Sunday, Brighton & Hove Albion manager Graham Potter knows his side's win at Arsenal will count for nothing when they take on Wolves at home.

The Seagulls battled to a first away victory at one of the Premier League's "big six" on Thursday night.

Having ended a three-match losing run, Potter is determined to maintain momentum.

Wolves, though, have climbed to fifth place and are unbeaten in the league since mid-September as well as juggling a European campaign.

Potter knows one big result does not mean their work is done.

"We have played five of the big six away already, and that has been a bit of a learning experience, so now we have to apply that to the next match," he told a press conference shown on Brighton's official website.

"Wolves will not give us anything - they wont say 'oh, you won against Arsenal, so here you go'.

"We have to start again and be prepared to play against a team who are having a wonderful season."

The remaining two matches on Sunday sees Newcastle United host Southampton while Sheffield United travel to second-bottom Norwich City.

West Ham United face Arsenal on Monday.