Bristol City 1-0 Leicester City
The international break came at a good time for Leicester City, who suffered a run of one win in five league games, but similar issues in front of goal were at the forefront once more as the Foxes slumped to a 1-0 defeat in Bristol.
Mads Hermansen pulled off a double save in the first half to deny Tommy Conway and Scott Twine as the Robins started brightly and looked to find an early advantage but it was Leicester who arguably should have been in front at the break, with Jamie Vardy’s strike brushed the base of the post after being played in behind by Stephy Mavididi.
The Leicester legend would go on to miss two more clear cut chances after the break. The first was blocked by the foot of Max O’Leary, who then diverted Mavididi’s rebound away from goal, before the striker was gifted the ball in the centre of the Bristol box, only to be denied once more.
The Foxes pressed on for the opener as Abdul Fatawu’s curler bent around the post, but it was the lack of pressing at the back that eventually lead to their downfall – Hamza Choudhury was slow to meet Anis Mehmeti at the edge of the box, who powered his shot into the top corner to put the hosts in front.
From there, you could only see one outcome and it wasn’t Leicester getting back into the game.
While the international break could have acted as a reset and an opportunity to focus on the on-field issues that the Foxes were having. It was instead filled with noise off the field with PSR charges and talk of legal action, something that would have only hindered preparation for the final stretch.
It would be near impossible for the players and management to not get sucked into the conversation surrounding the uncertainty of the club’s fate and with that, the lack of clinical edge in front of goal that featured throughout the poor run of form before the break was on show once more.
As with many of the games in that run, the Foxes created enough chances to win the match against the Robins, but ruthlessness at both ends of the pitch was once again lacking and the result was the same. Bristol City emphatically took their chance which was something that Leicester could not do, and if they are to get back on track and restart the promotion push, that is the first thing they need to address.
With Ipswich winning, Leicester now find themselves in third position, but with a game in hand over Leeds, who were held in the late kick off by Watford, and the Tractor Boys, fate is seemingly still in their hands (on the field at least).
Bristol City: O’Leary, Vyner, Dickie, Roberts, Tanner (McCrorie 61′), Knight (Williams 80′), James, Pring, Mehmeti, Twine (Sykes 61′), Conway (Wells ’69)
Leicester City: Hermansen, Choudhury (Pereira 78′), Faes, Vestergaard, Justin, Ndidi, Winks, Dewsbury-Hall, Fatawu, Vardy (Iheanacho 74′), Mavididi
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation.