Leicester 0-3 Crystal Palace
Report by Chris Griffin
A listless and lacklustre first-half Leicester performance sealed the result. Crystal Palace were quicker, sharper, stronger and deserved their win, scoring their first Premier league away goals of the season in the process.
Leicester made three changes from the team who beat Southampton in midweek: Gray, Albrighton and Iborra in for Okazaki, King and Fuchs.
Benteke and Zaha were a problem for Leicester all game. Zaha soon drove into the Leicester area but his crossed failed to find a colleague. Schlupp (returning to Leicester) dribbled into the penalty area and his pass across goal should really have been turned into an empty net. At the other end Vardy worried Tomkins into conceding a corner but Maguire’s header went wide.
Palace quickly responded setting up another chance after Zaha put the impressive Loftus-Cheek through but Schmeichel saved well. It was no surprise when Place took the lead in the 19th minute. Townsend on the right withstood Chilwell’s challenge and delivered a fast in-swinging cross. It found Benteke, six yards out and unmarked. His header gave Schmeichel no chance.
Leicester countered. Benteke nearly did them a favour when defending an Albrighton free kick but his header sailed just past the upright. Then Simpson played a good ball towards Vardy that was cut out by Kelly among appeals of hand ball from the Leicester fans but referee Atkinson waved play on.
Schmeichel was the busier keeper and was soon having to leap high to pluck another Townsend cross out of the air. Meanwhile Loftus-Cheek had a strong shot blocked by Morgan.
On the half hour Vardy headed a Leicester corner across goal for Maguire but frustratingly the ball did not drop quickly enough for him to shoot. Then Leicester at last gave Speroni some work following good play from Gray who sent a low cross across the six yard box line. The ball went behind Vardy and despite his inventive back flick Speroni was able to gather comfortably. Immediately Palace attacked and Schmeichel had to get down to a Zaha shot.
Leicester were getting plenty of possession but had little success in breaking down Palace’s well drilled two banks of four. Too often Leicester were let down by sloppy passing, turning over possession and not releasing pressure on Palace. The smart and fluid one and two touch passing of recent games was just a memory.
Palace’s second in the 40th minute was no surprise. Mahrez lost possession in midfield. Benteke drove forward and passed to Zaha who skipped past Chilwell in the penalty area and drove a firm shot past Schmeichel. It was a despondent half time for Leicester fans.
Palace came out on the front foot with Leicester having to defend hard. Albrighton stopped one attack then Benteke’s diving header just missed contact with another Townsend cross. At the other end Speroni at last had to look lively when he parried a Mahrez shot past the post.
Meanwhile tempers were fraying. Benteke and Ndidi were shown yellow cards and also Maguire for a particularly meaty challenge on Tomkins. Ndidi seemed energised by his card sending a drive just past the post. Leicester’s hopes rose when a Mahrez free kick from the right found Iborra whose header nestled in the corner of the net. But delight turned to disappointment and frustration when referee Atkinson blew for a free kick following Iborra’s push on Tomkins.
The game was well and truly up on the hour mark when Ndidi went to ground after a surging run into the Palace penalty area. Mr Atkinson clearly saw this as simulation and gave Ndidi a second yellow card – not the sort of card Ndidi would have wanted on his 21st birthday.
Palace drove forward and Zaha again made inroads into the Leicester penalty area before passing to Benteke right in front of goal. Albrighton , tackling back, wiped out Benteke but Mr Atkinson ruled play on. Leicester got away with one there.
Good work between Gray, Vardy and Mahrez resulted in a foul by Schlupp on Mahrez just outside the penalty area – another yellow card. Gray’s attempt at the free kick flew up and over the bar.
With little more than ten minutes left (and 15 minutes after going down to ten men) Leicester made changes. Okazaki and King came on for Albrighton and Iborra. Okazaki immediately forced a corner but it came to nothing.
Leicester went to three at the back with Maguire pushed forward into midfield. Speroni cut out a Mahrez cross. At the other end another Townsend cross found Benteke unmarked at the far post but his header was blocked by some excellent keeping from Schmeichel.
Maguire displayed his dribbling skills with a mazy run into the Palace area but he did not see the passing options around him and lost possession. Palace countered and Simpson picked up a yellow card after a tackle on Townsend. It looked harsh given Simpson had taken the ball. City replaced Vardy with Ulloa but it was Palace who retained control. Sako came on for Benteke and it was Sako who had the last word for Palace following good work down the left by Loftus-Cheek. Sako collected the ball and coolly curled his shot into the far corner of the Leicester net from the edge of the area.
This was a deflating afternoon following Leicester’s recent form and results. With the cup game against Manchester City on Tuesday and the visit of Manchester United on Saturday, City fans will be hoping the players rediscover their energy and belief.
Manager Claude Puel gave an honest verdict on the game. "It was not a good day for us. We did not start well, we played without intensity. We played a good team with confidence – Palace deserved this win, they played very well. We needed to be more aggressive. We needed more good play, more intensity and quality. For us, it is a good lesson for the future. Now it is time to look forward."
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Mahrez, Iborra, Ndidi, Albrigthon, Gray, Vardy. Subs: Iheanacho, King, Hamer, Dragovic, Okazaki, Ulloa, Fuchs
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Kelly, Tomkins, Dann, Schlupp, Townsend, Cabaye, McArthur, Loftus-Cheek, Zaha, Benteke. Subs: van Aanholt, Hennessey, Lee Chung-yong, Souare, Sako, Wan-Bissake, Riedewald
Referee Martin Atkinson Attendance 31,081
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