Leicester City 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 4
Report by Mike King
After last Friday's hard fought victory against Sheffield Wednesday, followed by mass jubilation and celebrations on Saturday evening as all the results of the Championship came in and confirmed that the City were promoted to the Premier League, almost 30,000 fans turned up at The King Power Stadium expecting a carnival atmosphere and celebration of this season's efforts and continue the 21 match unbeaten run against play-off candidates Brighton & Hove Albion.
Manager Nigel Pearson, who seems to be in every paper's football columns of late and in the media spotlight, made 4 changes to the usual starting eleven, with Phillips making his first start since his arrival and Konchesky, Moore and King coming off the bench, Pearson presumably attempting to keep these squad members happy and see if they can still contribute to the recent successes. Full backs Schlupp and De Laet did not even make the bench.
The Seagulls are a difficult team to beat and were looking to do the double over the City and were desperate for 3 points to get into the end of season play offs, thankfully not for us this time.
The City faithful were in full song as the East and West stand Kops went through their full repertoire with "We are Premier League" top of the charts. The game started fairly evenly and the first real chance fell to Phillips from a Konchesky cross but the 40 year olds sharpness deserted him as his effort went wide of the post.
Brighton were playing well with Lua Lua given licence to run all over the pitch and ex Foxes loanee Lingard showing some good touches. However, the visitors went ahead in the 17th minute when Ward arrived on the end of a corner from Stephens and guided a header beyond Kasper Schmeichel, who had stayed rooted on his line.
Seven minutes later brought a near replica goal. Ward this time provided the ball from the left and Manchester United loanee Lingard, hardly known for his aerial prowess, nodded in unmarked at the far post to stun the home crowd. It showed Leicester's vulnerability with crosses into the danger area that have ended in opposition's goals in recent games.
The City were not playing well in all areas although King seemed to be trying hard but Knockaert was having an off day and a Mahrez effort from a similar position to where he scored against Sheff. Weds was easily saved by Brighton's keeper Kuszczak.
Nugent and Phillips up front were isolated and saw little of the ball as the mid-field were concentrating on stopping Brighton playing or wastefully giving the ball away. Ulloa came close to extending Brighton's lead and Schmeichel saved well as a Lua Lua shot was pushed around the post. Brighton were not sitting back on their lead and obviously smelling the City were under par were going for the killer punch.
Nugent set up Drinkwater but his shot was blocked and then King's header went over as did a Morgan effort from a corner. Half time arrived as the home fans discussed what was going on, the 4 changes in the team seemed to have had an adverse effect or more commonly the players still had hangovers from Saturday nights partying and celebrations. Facebook was a common theme!
As expected, Pearson made 2 changes at half time, Wood replacing Phillips and Dyer replacing Knockaert, as both starters were not in the game in the first half. Wood nearly reduced the arrears early on from a Moore long throw as his close effort clipped the outside of the post and went wide. But Brighton continued to press forward as Stephens nearly scored Brighton's third but Wasilewski was on hand to clear the ball off the line with the new Wasilewski "Okey Kokey" song being sung.
The City then had a free kick 30 yards out but King's well struck shot was saved by Kuszczak, and then Drinkwater's shot ended up in row Z. Despite trying to reduce the arrears, it was Brighton who put the result beyond doubt in the 66th minute as Ulloa forced the ball home after good work by Stephens.
The City didn't give up the fight with Morgan's headers coming close from several corners. Taylor-Fletcher replaced Mahrez with 15 minutes left on the clock and he made some nice touches but with Dyer trying hard to cross from several left wing runs the ball was just not falling right.
Then City's vulnerability with crosses was hi-lighted for a third time with 10 minutes to go when Lua Lua crossed for Ulloa to head home for his second goal of the game. There was then a mass exodus of City fans with chants of "Loyal Supporters" echoing around the stadium countered by Brighton's fans chanting "Premier League you're having a Larf!"
With one minute on the clock left, the Foxes did eventually score a consolation goal, when Dyer sped down the left, crossed into the box and there was Taylor-Fletcher to fire the ball home from 10 yards.
Despite pressing forward no further goals resulted as the final whistle arrived and some idiot ran on to the pitch, was caught and hopefully given a life-time ban – why do they do it?
Brighton looked like the team heading for the top-flight, ending champions-elect Leicester’s 21-match unbeaten run with a display that clinically seized on their opponent’s lethargy. The south coast side had started it too, being the last to inflict a league defeat on Nigel Pearson’s table-toppers way back on December 7th. Any chance the City might overhaul Reading’s record Championship total of 106 points accrued in 2005-06 were gone. Will 100 points, a good target, be achieved after that performance?
As the crowd departed the King Power, obviously a lot of disappointment at the surprising result – what price did the Bookies give on 1 – 4 result? Not a good performance but may have given Pearson some guidance for next season – who is capable of playing at Premier League level and who is not?
Konchesky looks past his sell-by date and are Morgan and Wasilewski a good enough pairing at the centre of defence especially with crosses into the danger area? Vardy and his pace up front are sorely missed and looks like he may be fit to play against Reading next Monday, let's hope so.
The last game at home against Doncaster is being heavily promoted by the Club, obviously hoping for a full house and presentation of the Championship Trophy. Let us hope the next 5 games bring the necessary points to keep Burnley at a safe distance and City at the top.
CITY: Schmeichel; Moore, Wasilewski, Morgan (c), Konchesky; Mahrez (Taylor-Fletcher 75), King, Drinkwater, Knockaert (Dyer 46); Nugent, Phillips (Wood 46). SUBS NOT USED: Logan, Hammond, James, Miquel.
BRIGHTON: Kuszczak, Greer (c), Andrews, Stephens, Calderon, Ward, Ulloa, Upson, LuaLua (Lopez 88), March (Forster-Caskey 82), Lingard (Mackail-Smith 87). SUBS NOT USED: Dunk, Chicksen, Ankergren, Ince.
ATTENDANCE: 29,722 REFEREE: Craig Pawson
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