Newcastle 1 Leicester 0
Match report by Colin Hall
Gabriel Obertan's first goal in three seasons proved enough to condemn Leicester City to defeat against relegation-threatened Newcastle at St James' Park.
The Foxes have now lost in 14 of their last 16 visits to this venue – an abysmal record which Nigel Pearson's side rarely threatened to improve upon during a display which left the 3000+ travelling supporters frustrated and perturbed in equal measure.
A safety issue involving a big screen at the stadium forced the kick-off to be delayed by an hour, giving fans more time to digest Pearson's team selection and formation.
Curiously, Riyad Mahrez was deemed unfit to make the squad following a midweek appearance in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, yet Jeff Schlupp – who had endured a far longer flight, following duty in the same tournament – was retained in the starting line-up.
Marc Albrighton took Mahrez's place, while Matty James and Esteban Cambiasso replaced Dean Hammond and Jamie Vardy as Pearson opted to deploy a 4-5-1 system. However, despite the defensive flaws that had plagued the side in recent games, the manager decided against making changes to the back four.
Both sides made a tentative start in front of a near-capacity crowd. The most significant early chance fell to home skipper Fabricio Coloccini, who steered a shot wide of the far post when he should really have found the target.
However, as the visitors started to put some moves together, Matty James should have put City ahead when sent clear by Leonardo Ulloa. But the midfielder, making his first start of the season, sent a weak effort straight at home keeper Tim Krul.
The next Foxes attack saw Ulloa blocked by Steven Taylor as he attempted to reach a cross from the right, but referee Martin Atkinson waved away claims for a penalty. An enraged Ulloa sought revenge minutes later by flattening Taylor in an off-the-ball incident which other officials might have punished with more than a yellow card.
Although the home wide men, and Obertan in particular, were having more impact on the game than their City counterparts, it was the latter who came closest of all to breaking the first-half deadlock, as an Albrighton cross-shot curled beyond Krul's reach, but struck the post before bouncing to safety.
During the interval, the home fans were roused from their torpor by the news on the now fully-functioning big screen of Sunderland's woeful surrender at Southampton.
Their team, sensing the improved mood, stepped up the tempo in the second half, forcing a series of early corners which put sustained pressure on the visiting defence.
Such efforts should have brought reward when Papiss Cisse seized on to a sloppy Paul Konchesky back pass, but a heavy touch when rounding Kasper Schmeichel meant his shot could only find the side netting. Schmeichel was soon called into action again to tip over a Jack Colback free-kick.
Pearson then replaced the ineffective Schlupp and Albrighton with Vardy and David Nugent, but neither were able to make any significant impression on an increasingly-confident home defence.
As the game entered its final quarter, a goalless draw appeared the most likely outcome. However, as so often in recent games, City were undone by a defensive lapse.
Ritchie De Laet lost possession deep in the opposing half and a swift break found Obertan, who raced nearly 50 yards virtually unchallenged before firing a 20-yard drive past Schmeichel.
City replaced Cambiasso with Anthony Knockaert in the closing stages in an attempt to force an equaliser, but the Frenchman was unable to match the achievement of his compatriot. The only chance of note came when Danny Drinkwater pounced on a loose clearance 20 yards out, but Krul rushed smartly to block his shot.
The final whistle was greeted by a wild celebration in the home dugout, and – to add further misery on a dispiriting afternoon – skirmishes between rival fans in a corner of the Leazes Stand. Much of the respect earned by the travelling contingent of Foxes was dispelled by a small group of bottle-throwing yobs.
The result leaves City hovering just two points above the Premier League drop zone, having secured just a single point from a series of three eminently winnable matches.
Unless Pearson can find a means of restoring the urgency and intensity which served the side so well during the early weeks of the campaign, a difficult winter may lie in wait.
Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini (c), Taylor, Dummett (Haidara 72); Colback, Anita (Perez 59); Obertan, Sissoko, Gouffran (Cabella 90); Cisse. Subs not used: Elliot, Ferreyra, Abeid, Armstrong.
Goal: Obertan 71
City (4-5-1): Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan (c), Moore, Konchesky; Albrighton (Vardy 56), Cambiasso (Knockaert 79), Drinkwater, James,Schlupp (Nugent 56); Ulloa. Subs not used: Hamer, Hammond, King, Wasilewski.
Booked: Moore, De Laet, Ulloa
Attendance: 51,886 Referee: Martin Atkinson
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