Manchester City 2 Foxes 1
Match Report by Graham Tracey
We fell to another away league defeat in a televised game this season at Saturday lunchtime, but unlike some of the tame surrenders of previous months we deserved better from a full-blooded game. It is a mark of champions that we don't have our minds on the beach once we've reached safety, unlike lesser clubs like WBA and Watford, and only one case of eagle-eyed refereeing and one case of blind-batted lines manning denied us what could have been a draw or victory. Regardless, we were not out of place against a City side desperately needing to win for European reasons, which augurs well for next season.
The worry about this match was the almost unimaginable absence of both Wes and Huth, especially having seen City dismantle Palace 5-0 the week before. I don't know what our last pairing for a league game without either of the resurrected giants was – Moore / Wasilewski maybe. Why Amartey is not tried in centre defence remains a mystery to me, but it was Fuchs who partnered Benalouane, with Chilwell coming in and King replacing Drinkwater.
We made a decent start, with Okazaki and Vardy lively. Chilwell also impressed in his tussles with Sterling and going forwards. City had strangely left Aguerro on the bench, and Schmeichel was his normal dominant self to add to our confidence. However, as the half wore on, City raised the pressure and won a string of corners. Eventually on the half hour, slack marking allowed Silva to scuff a shot from a pass across the box into the net.
We protested at length, as Sterling had either touched the ball in an offside position, or at least blocked Schmeichel's view, but it was the not the sort of goal ever likely to be overturned at a big team's ground. We failed to refocus, and a few minutes later Benalouane made a Sunday league style challenge on Silva, and Jesus stroked home the penalty.
The game looked over, but very much like the Sevilla away game, we found a way back in. It was a spectacular strike that had me reconsidering my goal of the season nomination to The Fox, as Albrighton's diagonal cross was met by a swivelling volley from distance by Okazaki.
We were very much in the second half, although chances were few, Albrighton miscuing a close-range volley having us out of our seats. The mild-mannered Brummie was in the thick of the action, suffering first a bloody nose from blocking a cross, and then a black eye from a Fernandinho elbow, which while not intentional was so blatantly dangerous that it deserved punishment. Albrighton for once showed a nasty streak with a satisfying revenge hack on the perpetrator before being substituted.
The match will be remembered for a 'what happened next' moment with ten minutes left. I guess a big proportion of the Foxes Trust demographic is fairly long in the tooth like me, and know that new ways to lose a match will never stop presenting themselves.
Mahrez grew into the match the longer it went on, and his signature dip of the shoulder totally unbalanced Clichy who tripped him for an obvious spot kick. I don't know anyone who thinks Mahrez is a better penalty taker than Vardy, but as the ball seemed to be stroked into the top corner it looked like the perfect penalty for the equaliser. However, the ref blew up, and to our despair it was not for a re-take, but for a free kick to City due to Riyad slipping and fluking the ball in off his standing foot. You know then that it won't be your day.
By way of conclusion, Schmeichel and Mahrez both looked thoroughly frustrated at full time. I hope this is not the last away game that we get to see them. While I want to see Chilwell and Gray become mainstays for us for years to come, I disagree with fans who call for Mahrez to be cashed in on, and certain ageing players to be discarded. Like the dwindling number of astronauts still with us who walked on the moon, there will come a day when not one of the Champions is still at Filbert Way. We should savour them for as long as possible.
FOXES: Schmeichel 7, Simpson 7, Chilwell 8, Fuchs 7, Benalouane 6, Albrighton 7, Ndidi 6, King 5, Mahrez 7, Okazaki 7, Vardy 7. Subs used: Amartey, Slimani, Gray
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