Marcelino Núñez Scores Dream Brace as Ipswich Town Thrash Leicester in Carabao Cup

Some goals get celebrated, and some goals get talked about for weeks. Marcelino Núñez's second against Leicester City falls squarely into the second category: a finish from midfield that left the entire stadium, including his own manager, with their jaws on the floor.

The Chilean midfielder, who came through the ranks at Universidad Católica, scored a brace in Ipswich Town's win over Leicester City in the Carabao Cup, stealing the spotlight on a night his side badly needed to build some confidence in the competition.

It was the second goal that will be remembered. Núñez tried his luck from an enormous distance, barely thinking twice about it, and the ball ended up in the back of the net to the shock of everyone watching. Ipswich manager Gary O'Neil was so taken aback that he even joked about his player's decision to shoot rather than look for a better-placed teammate.

I didn't think it was the best decision, to be honest! Neither did Chuba Akpom or Sindre Walle Egeli, who were both running through on goal unmarked. As long as you can put it in the net, no one can argue with it. So yeah, it was a good decision in the end.Gary O'Neil

Beyond the story of the stunning goal, what's interesting is the process behind it. O'Neil admitted the Chilean didn't start preseason in the best way, partly because the club is asking him to play a different role than the one he had last season, when he operated more as a classic number 10. The manager, though, never stopped trusting in his ability.

The Manager's Trust

"I felt like it took him a while to get going in preseason. Maybe it's because we're asking him to do different things. I know last year he played a bit more as a '10.' I kept seeing something in him. I had a real belief that he'd start to show it after preseason. And he has," O'Neil explained about Núñez's adjustment to the new tactical demands.

The English coach also spoke about the midfielder's contribution beyond the purely footballing side of things, highlighting his work rate and his standing in the locker room, something that's often valued just as much as goals over a long, grinding season.

His energy is incredible. He never stops. He's an incredibly humble kid who just works and works. You need players like that in your group. On top of that, he had two moments of real quality tonight that obviously changed the game for us.Gary O'Neil

For Núñez, the night serves as a vote of confidence at just the moment he was looking to establish himself within O'Neil's new setup. With the Carabao Cup as his stage and two decisive goals to his name, the Chilean midfielder made it clear to his manager that the trust placed in him was well founded.