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2012-11-10T22:26:00.001+00:00

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Leicester 1 Crystal Palace 2 - 27 October 2012

2012-10-27T18:36:00.000+01:00

Eagles end Foxes' winning streak

Leicester fell to second in the Championship following defeat to Crystal Palace

Leicester City were handed their first league home defeat of the season this afternoon at the hands of managerless Crystal Palace.

Damien Delaney put the Eagles in front midway through the first-half after Kasper Schmeichel had spilled a high ball in the penalty area, before Peter Ramage doubled the visitors’ lead five minutes later with a header from a corner.

Andy King pulled a goal back in second-half stoppage time, but it was not enough to prevent Leicester’s 100 per cent home record coming to an end.

The loss sees Nigel Pearson’s side slip to second in the Championship, following Cardiff City’s 4-0 victory over Burnley.

Crystal Palace looked the more organised side, especially in midfield, and could have gone ahead in the first minute when Dean Murray found space at the back post, but the striker dragged his shot across goal.

At the other end, Lloyd Dyer picked out Jamie Vardy down the left-hand side with a clever ball over the top, and while the former Fleetwood Town striker did well to pull the ball back into the penalty area, David Nugent’s shot was directly into the path of Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni.

Andy King and Anthony Knockaert then had attempts which failed to trouble Speroni, while Wilfried Zaha’s speed and ability started to cause problems for the Leicester backline.

Palace were ahead half-way through the first period when Mile Jedinak’s corner-kick was spilled by Kasper Schmeichel, and although it looked like the Dane may have been impeded when collecting the ball, he could do nothing about Damien Delany’s powerful finish from ten yards.

The visitors looked the better side after the goal, and almost doubled their advantage when Zaha’s strike from 25 yards hit the outside netting of the Leicester goal.

The Foxes were 2-0 down soon afterwards when Peter Ramage headed past Schmeichel from Yannick Bolasie’s corner.

The goal capped a six-minute period which would have left Nigel Pearson fuming on the touchline, especially with the way both goals were conceded from set pieces.

Leicester nearly pulled a goal back five minutes before half-time, but David Nugent’s close-range effort was somehow cleared off the line by the Crystal Palace defence.

Andy King then forced a brilliant save from Julian Speroni with a fine curling strike from just inside the penalty area, which might have given the Foxes a route back into the game before the break.

Leicester did improve in the second-half and should have gone ahead before the hour mark when Wes Morgan’s header across goal picked out Jamie Vardy, but his effort failed to test Speroni as it sailed over the crossbar.

As Leicester pushed forward in numbers, they were left vulnerable in defence and could have fallen further behind if it wasn’t for a strong last-ditch challenge by Morgan on Wilfried Zaha.

The Foxes were denied a possible penalty when David Nugent’s header was cleared off the line by Owen Garvan, and although the Leicester players shouted for handball, no spot kick was awarded and Palace were able to clear their lines.

Leicester did got on the score sheet in second-half stoppage time when Andy King headed past Speroni from Paul Konchesky’s cross, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation as the Foxes fell to their first Championship home defeat of the season.

Man of the Match – Wilfried Zaha

Leicester City 1 Brighton 0 - 23 October 2012

2012-10-23T23:12:00.001+01:00

Sixth win in six leaves Foxes top of the league

Leicester City are now undefeated in seven league games

Leicester City maintained their position at the top of the Championship with a narrow 1-0 win over Brighton at the King Power Stadium.

In front of a home crowd of over 25,000, Andy King scored the only goal of the game ten minutes into the first-half after his initial shot was blocked inside the penalty area by Gordon Greer.

The visitors were awarded a second-half penalty when Zak Whitbread was adjudged to have brought down Will Buckley inside the area, but Ashley Barnes’ spot kick was well-saved by Foxes’ goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Barnes might have rescued a point for Brighton in stoppage time, but was unable to hit the target from the edge of the penalty area with plenty of time to settle his position before shooting.

It was Leicester’s sixth consecutive league win at the King Power Stadium, and seventh game unbeaten – an excellent run of form which has given the Foxes top spot in the Championship with one-quarter of the season played.

Nigel Pearson named an unchanged starting eleven from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Birmingham, and although Leicester began the first-half more tentatively than usual, they were ahead after just ten minutes after some excellent work by David Nugent on the left wing allowed him to break into the Brighton area and lay the ball off to Andy King, and although the midfielder’s shot was initially blocked, he made no mistake in finding the back of the net with the follow-up.

The early advantage seemed to trouble Brighton - especially defensively, as Gus Poyet’s side began misplacing passes under continual pressure from Leicester’s forward players.

Ritchie De Laet then broke into the Brighton penalty area and played a clever ball across goal to Andy King, but the Welshman was unable to add to his earlier goal, seeing his effort go way over the bar.

At the other end, Liam Bridcutt kept Kasper Schmeichel on his toes with a looping free-kick to the back post, forcing the Danish shot-stopper to tip the ball wide for a corner.

The ever-dangerous Anthony Knockaert then tested Tomasz Kuszczak with a shot from 20 yards, but the former Manchester United goalkeeper was equal to it.

Brighton began to increase tempo towards the end of the half, and could have been level when Craig Mackail-Smith latched on to Ritchie De Laet’s poor backpass, but Kasper Schmeichel was alert to make an important stop.

Mackail-Smith continued to try and cause the Foxes’ backline problems after the break with his pace and persistence, but in actual fact, Foxes captain Wes Morgan and Zak Whitbread were able to marshal the threat of Mackail-Smith for the majority of the game.

David Nugent then stung the palms of Tomasz Kuszczak with a powerful curling strike from the edge of the penalty area, but Brighton were given a glorious opportunity to draw level moments later when Zak Whitbread was adjudged to have upended Will Buckley inside the Leicester penalty area.

Ashley Barnes stepped up to take the spot-kick, but could not beat Kasper Schmeichel who guessed correctly – and although the rebound fell into the path of Barnes, the follow-up shot flew high over the crossbar, much to the relief of the Leicester fans.

Brighton seemed to lose momentum after the missed penalty, and Leicester could have doubled their advantage when Martyn Waghorn picked out Lloyd Dyer with a good cross into the Brighton eighteen-yard box, but the connecting header sailed wide of the left-hand post.

Paul Konchesky then had a shot beaten away by Tomasz Kuszczak, before substitute Jamie Vardy headed wide from inside the penalty area as the Foxes looked to tighten their grip on their opponents.

Andy King fired a shot across goal after Anthony Knockaert had done well to pick him out from the right-hand side, but dragged the ball inches wide of the Brighton goal.

For all of Leicester’s chances to put the game to bed, Ashley Barnes had a late chance to salvage a point for the visitors, but was unable to hit the target from the edge of the area despite having time and space to compose himself.

The final whistle blew, giving Leicester a narrow but deserved victory – one that keeps them top of the Championship for at least another few days.

Man of the Match – Wes Morgan

Leicester City 2 Bristol City 0 – 6 October 2012

2012-10-06T18:41:00.001+01:00

Foxes stay perfect at home

Leicester City have won five league games in a row at home this season

Leicester City climbed to the top of the Championship with a comfortable win over Bristol City at the King Power Stadium.

David Nugent netted his fifth goal of the season after latching on to a clever through ball from Jamie Vardy midway through the first-half.

The one-time England international was involved in Leicester’s second when Andy King’s chip into the box was bundled into the visitors’ net by defender Richard Foster, who was under pressure from Nugent inside the six-yard box.

Paul Konchesky and Sean St. Ledger both had to leave the game through injury after the break, but Nigel Pearson will be happy enough that his side maintained their 100 per cent league record at home.

With Cardiff City facing Ipswich Town in this evening’s late Championship fixture, victory for Leicester allowed them to climb above the Bluebirds and into first place.

Pearson named an unchanged starting eleven from the side that won 2-0 away at Huddersfield in midweek, and Leicester looked the sharper of the two sides from the start when David Nugent snuck in behind the Robins’ defence after a clever pass from Anthony Knockaert, but the shot was from a tight angle and directly into the path of goalkeeper Tom Heaton.

Lloyd Dyer’s powerful shot was tipped round the post by Heaton after some trickery on the edge of the box, before Knockaert saw his low free-kick parried away for a corner.

Albert Adomah looked like the only real threat for the visitors, although he dragged his first-half shot well wide and never really troubled Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester continued to push forward in search of an opener, and came close to breaking the deadlock when Andy King played the ball to Jamie Vardy inside the Bristol City penalty area, but the former Fleetwood striker was unable to get the ball from under his feet in time to trouble the goalkeeper.

Vardy was, however, involved in Leicester’s first goal when he played the ball over the defence for Nugent, who showed great power in brushing past the last man and coolly slotting the ball past Tom Heaton.

It was a fantastically well-worked goal by the two strikers, and one that showed the instinctive nature of Nugent and his ability to burst away from defenders.

It was no surprise to see Leicester play with confidence in the first-half, having won their last four league games, and the midfield was particularly impressive in retaining the ball and forcing the opposition into making careless mistakes.

Knockaert tested Heaton with a long-range strike ten minutes before the break, before Wes Morgan’s important block forced Albert Adomah’s effort behind for a corner.

Leicester continued to pepper away at the Bristol City goal in the second-half with shots from Andy King and Anthony Knockaert, although the hosts may be accused of taking their foot off the gas after the break.

The Foxes did double their advantage with just over fifteen minutes remaining when Andy King’s cross into the box was inadvertently headed into the net by defender Richard Foster, with David Nugent putting him under pressure.

It was a deserved second goal for Leicester, who had been the stronger of the two sides for the majority of the match, and had played with confidence and composure throughout.

Bristol City's only real chance of the second-half came when substitute Zak Whitbread was caught in possession by Stephen Pearson, but his attempt to catch Kasper Schmeichel off his line from 40 yards flew well over the bar.

Leicester almost grabbed a third goal in second-half stoppage time, but Anthony Knockaert's curling shot was well-saved by Tom Heaton.

The final whistle gave Leicester their fifth consecutive league victory, and preserved their unbeaten record this season at the King Power Stadium.

While it may seem that the October international break has now come at the wrong time for the Foxes, Nigel Pearson will be glad of the two-week break to assess the fitness of Sean St. Ledger, who was substituted mid-way through the second half after he appeared to pull up with a hamstring problem.

Man of the Match – Liam Moore

Nigel Pearson countering critics with consistency

2012-10-02T22:08:00.000+01:00

Are the Foxes back to winning ways?

Leicester City’s fourth successive Championship victory has come amidst real doubt over the future of Nigel Pearson. Recent rumours arising that the Raksriaksorns have former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp in line to succeed Pearson have done nothing but bring an air of concern, tension and instability to the King Power Stadium. Prior to this, suggestions of behind-the-scenes bust-ups between the manager and players who haven’t featured in the side for several weeks (some have gone out on short-term loans) have given critics the impression that Nigel Pearson has lost the dressing room. In the opening nine games of the season, a fair assessment of Leicester City would be solid, albeit unspectacular. A lack of consistency has plagued some away performances, but back-to-back wins has the Foxes in the automatic promotion places at the beginning of October. Two weeks ago, many fans were calling for the manager’s head, claiming that the club were no better off now than they were before Nigel Pearson made his return toward the end of 2011.

The Championship is highly unpredictable. It would be fair to say that at this point in the season, there are no teams which any objective writer could say are head and shoulders above the rest in the division. Cardiff City, like Leicester, have won six of their first nine games (impressive, but not a mind-blowing record). So, why is it that grass always seems greener to Foxes fans? That the next new manager could win promotion, or the unused substitute is the game-changer?

Nigel Pearson is a well-respected manager, and person, among his peers. Very rarely is a bad word said about him in the footballing world. His calm and pragmatic demeanour may be hit-and-miss with journalists and may never make him that much of a character in post-game interviews, but his unwillingness to be fazed by concern that the owners have lined up his replacement, or by rumours that he is just one bad result away from losing his job, speaks volumes of his character. More importantly, Leicester fans should know that the revolving-door to the managerial hot-seat in recent years has very rarely resulted in anything positive (it should be remembered that during his first two seasons with the club, Pearson almost achieved back-to-back promotions). Those who critique him are not managers, yet they are the first to complain when something isn’t working, and those who circulate rumours are the least likely to fully understand the goings-on behind the scenes.

Other sides in this division would love the type of consistency being installed at Leicester City. Recent performances suggest that Nigel Pearson is picking a side not only that he thinks can win games, but picking the players who have shown that they want to be a part of that. Martyn Waghorn has enjoyed a lot more playing time recently, as has formerly out-of-favour centre-back Sean St. Ledger. Both have been impressive. Even if the result doesn’t go our way, it’d be difficult to pick out anyone who hasn’t given everything when given that opportunity – and left everything on the pitch at the final whistle. That’s the team being put together here; one that never quits.

Perhaps, this season, we should all have a little more faith.

Leicester City 3 Hull City 1 – 23 September 2012

2012-09-23T19:02:00.002+01:00

Nugent nets hat-trick as Foxes tame Tigers

© isriya, Flickr

David Nugent scored his second, third and fourth goals of the season as Leicester's fine home run continues

David Nugent scored a hat-trick as Leicester won their second game in five days to give Nigel Pearson a win over his former employers.

Nugent opened the scoring after seven minutes with a fine curling strike after Danny Drinkwater’s shot had fallen kindly into his path.

Jay Simpson equalised for the visitors midway through the first-half, but Nugent grabbed his second goal five minutes before the break with a fine header into the bottom corner from Anthony Knockaert’s cross.

Hull manager Steve Bruce was sent to the stands in the second-half after an altercation with an assistant referee before Nugent completed his hat-trick in stoppage time after the Foxes caught the visitors on the break.

Leicester’s second win in five days pushes them up to seventh in the Championship, while they remain undefeated in league games at the King Power Stadium so far this season.

Nigel Pearson started with the same eleven that defeated Burnley on Wednesday night, and he only had to wait until the seventh minute to see his side go ahead as Danny Drinkwater’s ambitious strike hit Nugent inside the penalty area, before the frontman regained his composure to curl the ball past Hull goalkeeper Ben Amos.

It was the first time Leicester had scored in the opening half of a league game so far this season, and a sign that Nugent was back to his best after ending a baron run of not scoring in the Championship with his second goal in as many starts.

The home side continued to pressure Hull and could have doubled their lead when Jamie Vardy latched onto Anthony Knockaert’s through ball, but his shot was pushed behind by Ben Amos.

From the ensuing corner, the former Fleetwood Town striker saw his effort cleared off the line before David Nugent almost latched onto a Vardy cross as both forwards continued to cause the Hull defence problems.

However, the visitors grabbed an equaliser against the run of play when Sone Aluko fired the ball across goal and directly into the path of teammate Jay Simpson, who stuck a foot out to guide the slam the ball into the net.

Hull could have gone ahead moments later when Wes Morgan was caught in possession at the back by Jay Simpson, but Matty James was on hand to prevent the danger.

Anthony Knockaert’s quick footwork allowed him to pick out Ben Marshall on the flank who fired a dangerous ball into the area intended for Jamie Vardy, but the ball broke for Nugent who could only hit the side netting from a tight angle.

Leicester managed to restore their lead three minutes before half-time when Knockaert picked out David Nugent inside the penalty area with a fantastic cross, and the one-time England international leapt above his marker to head the ball past Ben Amos.

It was a well-worked goal that gave Leicester a deserved advantage before half-time after a first 45 minutes in which both sides had a number of good opportunities.

Jamie Vardy really should have made it 3-1 after the break after he found himself unmarked with the ball at his feet inside the penalty area, but his shot was somehow turned away by Amos.

Wes Morgan headed just over from a corner, while, at the other end, Sone Aluko kept Kasper Schmeichel alert with a decent strike from 25 yards.

Knockaert tested Amos from distance, before Ben Marshall dragged a shot wide as Leicester continued to knock on the door – and the task became much greater for Hull when their manager Steve Bruce was sent to the stands after a reacting angrily to a decision made by the assistant referee who had judged the ball to have gone out of play with Hull on the attack.

The visitors’ best chance to equalise came from a Robert Koren free-kick which was tipped over the bar by Schmeichel, but as Hull continued to push forward, Leicester caught them on the counter-attack in stoppage time with Lloyd Dyer teeing up Nugent inside the penalty area to complete his hat-trick and give the hosts all three points.

The win meant that Leicester’s 100 per cent home record in the Championship remained intact, as Leicester now turn to two consecutive away games as they look to pick up their first points of the season on their travels.

Man of the Match – Anthony Knockaert

Leicester City 2 Burnley 1 – 19 September 2012

2012-09-20T07:41:00.000+01:00

Foxes fight back to take three points

Leicester are undefeated at the King Power Stadium in Championship games this season

Second-half goals from David Nugent and Jamie Vardy gave Leicester City all three points after falling behind at home to Burnley last night.

The visitors took the lead against the run of play through Dean Marney after just ten minutes, but David Nugent equalised for the Foxes less than two minutes after the restart.

Jamie Vardy put the home side ahead after his shot took a wicked deflection to deceive Burnley goalkeeper Lee Grant just before the hour mark, which turned out to be the winning goal on the night.

It was a third consecutive Championship home win for Nigel Pearson’s men, who have taken all of their league points at the King Power Stadium so far this season, and was a good response to a disappointing defeat against Wolves on Sunday.

The first-half was one of very little action, although Leicester looked the more positive side as Ben Marshall and Anthony Knockaert both tested Lee Grant in the Burnley goal with early strikes.

But it was the hosts who were outfoxed out after just ten minutes when Martin Paterson picked out Dean Marney on the right-hand side of the Leicester penalty area with a low pass, and the midfielder smashed the ball past Kasper Schmeichel at the near post to put Burnley ahead.

It was a well-created goal by Eddie Howe’s side, although Sean St. Ledger appeared to give Paterson far too much space on the flank to pick out his teammate.

Leicester seemed sluggish for the remainder of the half, the only notable chance coming five minutes before the internal when David Nugent’s effort from distance struck the top of the crossbar.

As expected, the hosts were much improved in the second-half and they were soon level when Burnley failed to deal with the presence of Jamie Vardy on the edge of the box – and when the ball somehow fell to David Nugent inside the area, his scuffed volley into the ground from ten yards just crept into the bottom corner.

It was hardly a glamorous goal for Nugent’s first of the season, but one that Leicester will certainly have taken after a lacklustre opening 45 minutes.

The equaliser sparked life into the hosts, as Ben Marshall and Jamie Vardy then linked up nicely for the former Fleetwood Town striker to test Lee Grant from close range, but the goalkeeper was equal to it and the chance went begging.

Leicester were ahead just before the hour mark when Anthony Knockaert’s quick feet allowed him to find Vardy on the right-side of the penalty area, and his shot took a huge deflection off Burnley defender Jason Shackell, resulting in the ball flying over the goalkeeper and into the net.

It was another ugly goal, but just the slice of fortune Leicester needed to get ahead in the match – and in truth, was a lead they just deserved after a positive start to the second-half.

Ben Marshall nearly doubled Leicester’s lead with a free-kick on the edge of the area that sailed just over the crossbar, before Cameron Stewart’s shot across goal at the other end kept the Leicester defence alert.

With just under twenty minutes remaining, David Nugent found Danny Drinkwater on the heels of the last defender, and the former Manchester United midfielder did exceptionally well to hold the ball up and test Lee Grant, but his shot was straight at the goalkeeper and the chance came to nothing in the end.

Burnley substitute Sam Vokes struck the outside of the post in the final ten minutes of the game as the visitors pushed for an equalising goal, while at the other end, Anthony Knockaert almost put Leicester out of sight with a fierce strike which was turned away by Lee Grant.

Leicester squandered two glorious counter-attacks to put the game to bed with Lloyd Dyer, Paul Konchesky, and substitute Martyn Waghorn all pushing forward in numbers, but nevertheless, the home side were able to see out the remaining minutes and claim an important three points.

Leicester still boast a 100 per cent at home in the Championship this season, a record Nigel Pearson will be looking to continue this Sunday when his former club Hull City come to town.

Man of the Match – Anthony Knockaert

Leicester City 1 Blackpool 0 - 1 September 2012

2012-09-01T23:13:00.000+01:00

Foxes bounce back with win over Blackpool

Victory for Leicester pushed them into the top half of the Championship

Ben Marshall's second-half penalty was enough to give Leicester all three points in a 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium over table-toppers Blackpool this evening.

The goal came ten minutes after the break after Jamie Vardy was brought down inside the box by Portuguese midfielder Tiago Gomes.

Ben Marshall's converted from twelve yards to send the Foxes faithful into raptures and quash any fears of a fourth consecutive defeat for Nigel Pearson's side.

It was another disappointing return to Leicester for former manager Ian Holloway, who has now seen his Blackpool side lose five times against the Foxes since parting ways with the club in 2009.

Following Leicester's Capital One Cup midweek 4-2 defeat to League Two Burton Albion, Nigel Pearson will have been delighted with the reaction of his players, as Jamie Vardy, Lloyd Dyer and the goalscorer Marshall all looked threatening going forward.

But it was in defence that Leicester really excelled, as the partnership of Wes Morgan and Liam Moore managed to shut out a dangerous Blackpool side that had scored ten goals in their previous three league outings, including six against Ipswich last weekend.

Leicester looked positive from the outset and almost took an early lead when Ben Marshall's piercing through ball sent Jamie Vardy through one-on-one, but Blackpool keeper Matt Gilks did well to save the former Fleetwood striker's low shot with his feet.

Danny Drinkwater then tested his luck from distance with a shot on goal, before Thomas Ince for the travelling side saw his near post effort parried away for a corner by Kasper Schmeichel.

Jamie Vardy had another effort blocked midway through the first-half as Leicester began to dominate possession, and the hosts were almost ahead when Ben Marshall's low free-kick evaded the Blackpool wall, but Matt Gilks did well to get a hand to it and push the ball out for a corner.

The Tangerines finished the half strongly when Thomas Ince had another effort saved by Kasper Schmeichel, before Barry Ferguson's dipping volley struck the foot of the Leicester post.

If Leicester ever needed to come out swinging in the second-half, today was certainly that day, following three consecutive losses for the first time since 2010, and Nigel Pearson's men did exactly that by taking the game to the visitors and looking like the only team who would break the deadlock.

Jamie Vardy had a penalty appeal turned down within minutes of the restart before Andy King's shot from 20 yards beat Matt Gilks and several Blackpool defenders, but clipped the offside-David Nugent on its way into the net, resulting in the goal being disallowed.

Ben Marshall then played Lloyd Dyer in behind the Blackpool defence, but he was well-tackled before having the opportunity to get the ball out from under his feet.

Marshall was in the thick of the action again when David Nugent latched onto another through ball from the former Sheffield Wednesday winger, but he was adjudged to have been offside before playing the ball across goal to an unmarked Jamie Vardy who surely would have put the Foxes ahead.

Leicester did eventually take the lead two minutes later when the Vardy was clumsily brought down by Tiago Gomes just inside the Blackpool area, resulting in the home side being awarded a penalty.

Ben Marshall stepped up to convert from twelve yards with a powerful strike into the left-hand corner, and while Matt Gilks got a hand to the ball, he was unable to keep his side from falling behind with just over half an hour left to play.

It was a deserved lead for Leicester, who had been by far the better side for the opening hour of the match, continually piling pressure on Blackpool and causing their defence all sorts of trouble.

Vardy should have doubled the Foxes' advantage on the hour mark when he pounced on a poor throw in, but never managed to get a shot away and the chance fell begging.

David Nugent then had a shot tipped wide after a clever through ball from Lloyd Dyer, while Thomas Ince continued to keep the Leicester defence on their toes after popping up at the back post, but he could not find the target.

Lloyd Dyer had a chance cleared off the line, before Jamie Vardy and Jermaine Beckford wasted good opportunities to put the hosts out of sight with time running out.

Blackpool looked as though they might grab an equaliser in the final minutes of the match when Thomas Ince's shot across goal was just out of reach for substitute Kevin Phillips.

Either side could have scored during an end-to-end injury time period, but Leicester held on until the final whistle to alleviate some of the pressure before the international break and end Blackpool's 100 per cent start to the Championship campaign.

Man of the Match – Wes Morgan

Are Nigel Pearson's days numbered?

2012-08-29T07:33:00.000+01:00

Questions asked as Leicester lose three in a row

© Matt Beighton, Flickr

Last night's Capital One Cup defeat to Burton Albion rounded off a miserable seven days for Nigel Pearson's Leicester City. After the Foxes lost two close league games to Charlton and Blackburn (and with all due respect to the Shakers), yesterday's match was supposed to be the one to get Leicester back on track. Instead, the hosts shipped four goals to a side two divisions below them and were subsequently booed off the pitch.

It's August. The season is five games old. But with former manager Ian Holloway bringing an in-form Blackpool side to the King Power Stadium this weekend, is Saturday's fixture now a must-win game for Nigel Pearson?

It goes without saying that this isn't the start that fans were expecting. A promising opening day 2-0 win over East Midlands-rivals Peterborough United has since been marred by consecutive away defeats, but such results can be overlooked by generally positive performances and an apparent willingness and desire to battle back. A convincing home defeat to a side the Foxes beat 3-1 in preseason is a little harder for supporters to digest.

Nigel Pearson did make eight changes from his starting eleven who started last Saturday's 2-1 loss at Blackburn Rovers, so there may have been rustiness in places (especially in defence, with Sean St. Ledger and Zak Whitbread playing for the first time this season). However, in a division where stability is important, perhaps eight changes for one match are too many. But hindsight is a wonderful thing, and had Leicester beaten Burton Albion 2-0, fans would be singing the manager's praises for focusing what is now a crucial match this weekend.

This brings us to Leicester's next match – Saturday evening's clash with Blackpool. This match could be a huge point in the season for both sides. The visitors are the only team to have won their opening three fixtures, having scored ten goals and conceded just one since the start of the Championship season. They are the form side at this stage, and also the side to beat. Leicester, who are always tipped to succeed in the Championship due to the financial backing of the Raksriaksorns, have lost three in a row for the first time since Paulo Sousa was in charge. Sousa was sacked after that third loss (a 4-3 defeat at Norwich City). Wouldn't it just be fitting for Ian Holloway (who knows what it is like to be sacked from Leicester City) to come to town and put Nigel Pearson's future here in real jeopardy?

As mentioned before, stability is the key for success in this division. It is far too early to tell how the rest of the season might pan out. But Leicester are notorious for its revolving door when it comes to managers. It really shouldn't be, but Saturday could now be a must-win game for Nigel Pearson.

Leicester City 2 Peterborough United 0 - 18th August 2012

2012-08-18T20:06:00.001+01:00

Morgan and King on target as Foxes tame Peterborough

Two second-half goals gave Leicester City a deserved win to kick-off their Championship campaign in style at home to East Midlands-rivals Peterborough.

Nearly 24,000 fans were on hand to watch Leicester's season opener against Peterborough this afternoon

Wes Morgan put the Foxes ahead after the break with a powerful header from Ben Marshall's corner kick, before Andy King came off the bench to double the lead with a fine strike with fifteen minutes remaining.

Peterborough's best chances came late on in the match through substitute Emile Sinclair, but the former Macclesfield forward was less than clinical when presented with the opportunity to get his team back into the match.

Leicester are likely to face tougher tests this season, but it was certainly a good benchmark for Nigel Pearson's side who are, once again, heavily tipped by bookmakers to win promotion to the Premier League after an absence of eight seasons from the top flight.

Nigel Pearson named an unchanged starting eleven from the side that won 4-0 at Torquay United in the first round of the Capital One Cup in midweek – but it was Peterborough who had the first chance of the match when Lee Tomlin's strike from distance was tipped round the post by Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester looked sharp in the early exchanges; most notably Jermaine Beckford who willingly chased down every loose ball and seemed determined to menace Peterborough's defence, while Ben Marshall's set pieces continued to trouble the visiting side.

Ritchie De Laet headed just wide from a Ben Marshall free-kick, before new signing Jamie Vardy scuffed a volley after Jermaine Beckford had cleverly nodded the ball into his path.

Leicester looked strong at the back, too, as new captain Wes Morgan accompanied by youngster Liam Moore at centre-back, who performed admirably in his first senior home game for the club.

Peterborough rarely threatened in the first-half, and could have fallen behind when Jamie Vardy's low pass towards Jermaine Beckford almost resulted in an own goal when Posh defender Gabriel Zakuani almost put the ball into his own net.

Jermaine Beckford headed centimetres wide five minutes before half-time, before Lloyd Dyer's trickery resulted in a fine cross into the box, but there was no blue shirt on hand to tuck the ball away.

After the break, Kasper Schmeichel showed good awareness to parry Paul Taylor's powerful strike, but the hosts were ahead just minutes later when Ben Marshall's corner was met with a strong header from Wes Morgan which flew off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

It was Morgan's first goal as a Leicester City player and a great way to kick-off his captaincy for the Foxes, although Darren Ferguson may argue that Gabriel Zakuani was fouled in build-up.

Leicester began to play somewhat more confidently after going a goal ahead, and both Jamie Vardy and Lloyd Dyer came close to doubling the Foxes' advantage just moments after the goal.

At the other end, Peterborough substitute Emile Sinclair inexplicably fired over the bar after good work on the right-hand side of the pitch when it seemed easier to hit the target.

Peterborough were left to rue that missed opportunity as Leicester broke through the middle minutes later, and when Jamie Vardy picked out substitute Andy King on the edge of the penalty area, the Welsh international fired home superbly from 20 yards to put the Foxes 2-0 ahead and secure the three points.

It was a wonderful finish from the midfielder, who will be hoping for more appearances in the starting eleven if he continues to make an impact when given the opportunity to do so.

Leicester, who were, by now, coasting, could have seen their two-goal advantage dissipate when Emile Sinclair again found his way into the opposing penalty area, but his tame effort was easily collected by Kasper Schmeichel.

With just less than ten minutes to go, Sinclair managed to beat Wes Morgan to the ball and tried to curl a shot into the far corner, but again, the Danish shot stopper would not be beaten.

The second-half fizzled out after four minutes of stoppage time, and the final whistle gave Leicester all three points to get the season off to the best start possible at the King Power Stadium.

Man of the Match – Wes Morgan

Leicester City: Position Battles

2012-08-15T18:37:00.001+01:00

The fifth and final position battle looks at the Leicester City strikers - who is more likely to start up front on Saturday?

1. Jamie Vardy v. Jermaine Beckford

This is undoubtedly the biggest question mark in terms of position battles ahead of Leicester City's opening game against Peterborough on Saturday, and last night's 4-0 Capital One Cup win at Torquay United did nothing to answer who would start alongside David Nugent. Jermaine Beckford and Jamie Vardy were both named in the starting eleven, while Nugent was rested. On top of that, Martyn Waghorn, Jeff Schlupp and new signing Marko Futacs have been involved during pre-season for the Foxes. With Nigel Pearson likely to utilise two wingers in a 4-4-2 formation, only two strikers can start. This either gives Pearson a selection headache, or considerable depth in this position, depending on your outlook.

Jamie Vardy was Leicester's most expensive summer transfer, joining the Foxes from Fleetwood Town for a reported £1 million. His goal-scoring record in the lower leagues speaks for itself, and he wouldn't be the first player to learn his trade there and replicate it at a higher level. Fans have already warmed to Vardy, and he is certainly a very typical Nigel Pearson player. Jermaine Beckford, on the other hand, was already at the club when Pearson re-joined Leicester at the end of 2011. He scored fifteen goals last season, yet fans never seemed completely sold on him. That being said, Beckford has featured heavily in pre-season and been finding the net himself. He also appeared to have developed a good partnership with David Nugent by the end of last season.

One scenario that does not seem to have been considered by Foxes fans is Nigel Pearson using the three strikers in rotation. The Championship season is long, and the addition of League and FA Cup matches could result in 55+ matches for Leicester City. With three strikers of such high quality, all with a keen eye for goal, we can certainly expect to see them kept fresh – especially as Pearson has the managerial skills to bring out the best in all three players. Barring injuries, Nugent, Vardy and Beckford could all play at least thirty games this season (not including substitute appearances), and having a player of such calibre as an option off the bench would boast real strength in numbers at the club.

Likely winner: Jermaine Beckford is probably more likely to start on Saturday alongside David Nugent, but Jamie Vardy will certainly be named among the substitutes, and will more than likely make his home debut before the end of the match. Throughout the duration of the season, it really is too close to call as to which player will start more matches.

Leicester City: Position Battles

2012-08-13T18:58:00.003+01:00

The penultimate position battle will focus again on the back line - and outlines why three defenders into two positions doesn't add up.

2. Zak Whitbread v. Liam Moore

Because Foxes academy product Liam Moore is strictly a full-back, and former Norwich and Millwall defender Zak Whitbread (like Ritchie De Laet) can play either on the right side or at centre-back, there is certainly a position battle to be observed here. In fact, there are two. Lee Peltier's departure to Championship rivals Leeds United leaves the right-back spot wide open, with Moore the only recognised naturally right-sided player at the club. The main concern here is that Whitbread and De Laet are both able to play in multiple positions, and if the argument is that De Laet was also brought in as cover for right back, then that leaves Leicester short at centre-back until Sean St. Ledger returns from injury. It appears as though Nigel Pearson is happy to stick with De Laet and Whitbread to fill in, but, essentially, there are two slots to be filled by three players, if you consider that Wes Morgan and Paul Konchesky should start almost every game in defence this season barring any injuries (Tom Kennedy provides additional depth at left-back).

© nicksarebi, Flickr

Former Fulham man Paul Konchesky is a likely starter this season - but who will join him in defence for the Foxes?

However, if Liam Moore isn't considered a first-team player, despite arguably being the most recognised right-back for Leicester, it will not do much for his confidence. Nigel Pearson could send him out on loan again (Moore appeared 22 times for Bradford City last season after making just two starts for the Foxes) which would allow him to receive more playing time, but he obviously sees potential in the 19-year-old. Moore started the final friendly against Sunderland which probably wasn't too far off the starting line-up Pearson could field against Peterborough United on Saturday. He is a big, physical opponent who could be the long-term answer at right-back for Leicester.

Likely winner: Whitbread (and De Laet) will probably start in defence on the opening game of the season if he is fit to play – although due to the lack of senior cover in defence, Nigel Pearson will probably be reluctant to let Liam Moore go out on loan. Don't be surprised if the youngster receives a few opportunities this season (perhaps initially in the League Cup); he certainly has the ability to break into the first team and cement a place in the starting eleven. He may just need to bide his time.

Leicester City: Position Battles

2012-08-11T10:52:00.000+01:00

The next position battle focuses on Leicester City's central midfield, where it would appear that Nigel Pearson has considerable depth to select from.

3. Matty James v. Danny Drinkwater

The position battle in the centre of midfield is likely to extend further than just these two players – throw Neil Danns, Andy King and Richie Wellens into the mix, and you have five more capable first-team starters. With Wellens sidelined until September or October after suffering an injury to his cruciate knee ligament, Nigel Pearson is likely to rotate his central midfield players to keep them fresh throughout the season - but it'll certainly be interesting to see who gets the nod more often out of these two former Manchester United youngsters.

Matty James and Danny Drinkwater were both signed by Nigel Pearson, which makes it difficult to conclude who the manager would prefer to start. Pre-season will have been telling for Pearson, but Drinkwater did make nineteen starts for Leicester after signing from Barnsley in January this year, and made a notable contribution during the final four months of the Foxes' Championship campaign. Matty James, like Drinkwater, began his career at Manchester United, however he has received limited first-team football to date (James spent two loan spells at Preston North End in 2010 and 2011). However, a few years ago, the same also applied to Tom Cleverley, and he played a big part in Leicester's promotion back to the Championship and has since played more regularly for Manchester United while impressing during the Olympics for Team GB.

© eschipul, Flickr

Can Matty James have the same impact for the Foxes as Tom Cleverley did three years ago?

Likely winner: While the midfield is likely to be rotated on a regular basis by Nigel Pearson, Danny Drinkwater is will probably start more matches in the middle than Matty James this season, especially at the beginning of the season with Richie Wellens injured. That being said, James' versatility also allows him to play in defence, which means that he could provide cover at the back.

Leicester City: Position Battles

2012-08-09T21:42:00.000+01:00

As we count down Leicester City's top position battles this season, we take a look at the midfield where youth and experience will battle it out for a starting place at the King Power Stadium.

4. Anthony Knockaert v. Lloyd Dyer

The recent signing of 20-year old Anthony Knockaert from French club side Guingamp provides Leicester City with an added dimension in attacking football. The youngster can play on either the left or right wing, and also as a forward. With Ben Marshall likely to start on the right side, Knockaert provides, at the very least, healthy competition for veteran winger Lloyd Dyer, who Nigel Pearson initially signed in 2009 from MK Dons.

© Dominic Brewin, Flickr

Lloyd Dyer has been one of Leicester City's longest serving current players - but will he be guaranteed a place in the starting XI this season?

Nigel Pearson has already stated that he hopes Knockaert will play a big part in Leicester's season, and also that he has the ability to become a successful player in the Championship. Although having been previously linked with a move to Newcastle United, he is still somewhat of an unknown quantity to football fans in the UK. That being said, Leicester City's chief scout Steve Walsh has a tendency to find real gems in the transfer market. Lloyd Dyer did receive a lot more playing time after Sven-Goran Eriksson parted ways with the club, although Pearson did seem keen to alternate various formations to accommodate the ability of Ben Marshall. If Leicester do revert to a 4-4-2 formation rather than switching to a 4-3-3/4-5-1, this is likely to favour Dyer as he is more of an out-and-out winger, whereas Knockaert's versatility would allow him to also play as part of a front three.

Likely winner: Given Lloyd Dyer's age and the fact that he was generally used as a bit-part player last season, Anthony Knockaert should start ahead of him in 2012/13. That being said, it's likely that Dyer will still be used in rotation along with set-piece specialist Paul Gallagher.

Leicester City: Position Battles

2012-08-07T20:25:00.000+01:00

Nigel Pearson has made new signings at almost every position during the summer, in an attempt to stamp his name on the side and give the Foxes the best possible chance of winning promotion this season. But will these fresh faces be able to hold down a starting place in the first eleven – and, if they do, who, in turn, will miss out? Over the next week, we will look at five key position battles at the King Power Stadium as the beginning of the Championship season draws closer.

© leigh984, Flickr

Leicester City's 2012/13 Championship campaign begins at the King Power Stadium in less than two weeks

5. Ritchie De Laet v. Sean St. Ledger

This one may initially appear to be a no-brainer, as Sean St. Ledger picked up a knee injury in a pre-season friendly against Burton Albion which will sideline him for six to eight weeks. During this time, Ritchie De Laet is the obvious replacement centre-half to partner the new captain Wes Morgan at the back. Although the former Manchester United youngster has become somewhat of a wanderer over the last three years (during which time he has spent time on loan at four different clubs), Nigel Pearson will hope to solidify a reliable pairing in a defence which has uncharacteristically leaked goals over the last two seasons.

What could be interesting is whether St. Ledger will be able to re-establish himself as a starter for Leicester. He struggled to regularly make the starting eleven at the beginning of 2012, and only really did so while Sol Bamba was on international duty at the African Cup of Nations. After a challenging Euro 2012 tournament for the Republic of Ireland (although he was arguably one of the better performers on the team), and considering the strong rumours linking him with a move away from the King Power Stadium when Nigel Pearson rejoined Leicester, St. Ledger could well find himself as a squad player – especially if the Foxes initially perform well during his absence through injury. De Laet will hope to become a regular in the starting line-up and make a real name for himself at a new club after a series of loan spells.

Likely winner: Richie De Laet will most likely start against Peterborough next weekend, and, if he can stay injury-free, should find himself above St. Ledger in the pecking order this season.

Spain - the greatest international team of all time?

2012-07-02T16:16:00.000+01:00

Spanish dynasty continues with third successive major tournament win

(c) braveheartsports, Flickr

Spain peaked at the perfect time during Euro 2012 to sweep aside Italy with a 4-0 final win in Kiev; a win which left very few doubting who the world's best footballing nation is. Having become the first team to retain the European Championship – and doing this either side of victory at World Cup 2010– the question is now being asked as to whether this Spanish side is the greatest international team of all time. Vicente Del Bosque's men certainly deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the Brazilian side of 1970 and the West German side of 1990, as they are currently in a class of their own. But it is worth stepping back and taking a look at the strengths of this Spanish side as they were crowned European Champions – again.

Injuries ruled David Villa and Carlos Puyol out of the tournament. Had Villa been fit, it is unlikely that Del Bosque would have adopted a 4-5-1/4-6-0 formation with Cesc Fabregas as the most forward player. This begs the question as to whether Fabregas, who performed strongly throughout Euro 2012, would have been a regular starter in the side, despite a fine debut season with Barcelona. The former Arsenal midfielder was influential in this tournament, scoring two goals and setting up several more. But had Villa been available, his opportunities may have been limited.

Puyol's absence was also intriguing. The centre back pairing of Puyol and Gerard Pique has become an increasingly successful force both at both club and international level, but injury to the 34-year old forced Del Bosque to make a change. Sergio Ramos, who plays more predominantly as a full back for Real Madrid, stepped in at centre back and was solid throughout the tournament both in defence and attack – despite playing (arguably) out of position. Had Puyol been available, Ramos would almost certainly have been utilised as a full back, and

Spain

's defence may not have been as watertight (La Furia Roja conceded just one goal in six games).

Ten of

Spain

's starting eleven for the final against

Italy

were named in UEFA's Team of the Tournament. The teams with the second highest number of representatives were

Germany

and

Italy

, with four players respectively. Andrés Iniesta was named UEFA Player of the Tournament, and Fernando Torres won the Golden Boot, despite only playing the equivalent of slightly more than two games worth of football at Euro 2012 (the Chelsea striker was on the field for just 188 minutes plus added time). And until the final,

Spain

rarely seemed to get out of second gear. Each individual Spanish player could be singled out for high praise for their performance at Euro 2012, but it would take forever, and much of it goes without saying.

Questions will be asked as to how long this Spanish dynasty will continue. Xavi Hernandez, Carlos Puyol and Xabi Alonso will be huge losses when their international playing days are over (all three are aged 30 or over), but with the likes of Jordi Alba and Javi Martínez coming through the ranks, there is no reason why Spain cannot continue to dominate with Del Bosque at the helm. Many already consider them to the best international side of all time; however, the sign of true dominance would certainly be to win the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil, and thus become the first non-South American side to win a World Cup on South American soil. Another tournament win would also make it three from three for Del Bosque, and Spain are surely already the favourites to lift the trophy two years from now.

Euro 2012: Quarter-Final Preview

2012-06-20T20:41:00.002+01:00

Heavyweights look set to lead the way into the last four

With the group stages of Euro 2012 now over, two of my three dark horses (Croatia and Russia) have been eliminated. Underdogs

Greece

escaped from Group A, while the

Netherlands

fell far short of expectation by failing to register a single point in Group C. With only two teams surprising in making the last eight, it is difficult to see where there will be an upset. Here's a look at all four quarter-final matches.

Neither

Poland

nor

Ukraine

were able the most of home advantage at Euro 2012

© Cyril Attias, Flickr

Czech Republic v.

Portugal

It is arguable that either of these two teams making the knockout stages is a surprise. The Czech Republic finished top of arguably the weakest group, but had to overcome a 4-1 thrashing in their first game at the hands of Russia – who were favourites to qualify. Similarly, Portugal needed to win their final two games in the 'group of death' after defeat to Germany – but Paulo Bento's side still looked as though they could be a contender despite losing their opening match. They proved that with back-to-back wins over Denmark and the Netherlands and Portugal should advance to the semi-finals at the expense of the Czechs. Cristiano Ronaldo needs to perform to the same level as he did against the Netherlands.

Prediction:

Czech Republic

Portugal

Germany

Greece

Germany

were certainly the favourites in Group C and certainly did not disappoint, even despite a sluggish performance in their 1-0 win over

Portugal

. They were the only side in the group stages to win all three games, and look good value to at least make the semi-finals. Most people wrote

Greece

off before the tournament began, but a surprise win over

Russia

in their final group game saw them edge into the knockout stages. Defeating

Germany

at this stage would certainly give Fernando Santos the belief that his side could set up a Euro 2004 final rematch against

Portugal

. But

Greece

scored the lowest number of goals among qualifying teams (tied with

France

), while

Germany

conceded the least (tied with

Italy

Germany's powerful front four of Mario Gomes, Lukas Poldolski, Thomas Müller and Mesut

zil should be too much for Greece to handle.

Prediction:

Germany

Greece

Spain

France

France

finished as runners-up to

England

in Group D after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to already-eliminated

Sweden

. That result could come back to haunt them as they now face world champions Spain who, despite having been inconsistent in their first three games, have the depth in squad to cause teams problems all over the pitch. They almost came undone against a determined

Croatia

side, but came up with the decisive goal when they needed it. They were also the only team to keep two clean sheets in the group stages.

France

looked impressive against

England

and

Ukraine

in qualifying and they will need to perform to the same level in order to stand any chance in the quarter-finals. Yohan Cabaye has impressed for Les Blues so far, and the battle will be won and lost in midfield. Definitely an interesting match to keep an eye on.

Prediction:

Spain

France

England

Italy

This is the most interesting of the four quarter-final match-ups, because neither of these two sides had a comfortable route out of their respective groups. Using that argument, either of these two sides advancing to the last four would be an upset.

England

have already done what Roy Hodgson asked of them (reach the quarter-finals), and he now has a full strength squad with Wayne Rooney's two game ban now over. Rooney, who scored the winning goal against

Ukraine

, looked a little rusty, and

Italy

's defensive options are likely to frustrate

England

. It could take another inspired substitution to break them down. Manchester City team-mates Joleon Lescott and Mario Balotelli will be an interesting match-up to watch. I wouldn't expect many goals in this game, and I think it will be decided in extra-time.

Prediction:

England

Italy

0 (a.e.t)

Euro 2012 - Dark Horses

2012-06-05T16:09:00.000+01:00

Three teams to watch at Euro 2012

(c) Anosmia, Flickr

It is difficult to look beyond the usual suspects for Euro 2012 in terms of picking an overall winner.

Germany

Spain

and the

Netherlands

look to be among the favourites, while

France

and

Portugal

also have a tendency to thrive in this tournament. But in recent history, the Euros have provided a dark horse that advances further into the knockout stages than many would have predicted (Russia – 2008, Greece – 2004), and there is no reason to believe that the same cannot occur this year. Here are three teams who could follow in the footsteps of former European underdogs.

Russia

It could be argued that any two of the four teams in Group A could advance to the quarter-final stages, to the point where many have already focused purely on the other three groups in which the heavyweights lie, and those teams effectively getting a bye to the semi-finals. However, with a FIFA ranking of eleventh and a recent history of performing well against their European counterparts (they reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008), Russia have the potential to inflict damage on their group rivals and build up momentum on their way to the knockout stages, where they are likely to face either Germany, or a quarter-final rematch against the Netherlands (who they upset with a 3-1 victory four years ago). Dick Advocaat's side also won their qualifying group and are undefeated this year in friendlies (including a 3-0 away win over

Italy

Croatia

Group B has been labelled 'the group of death' in this tournament, as one of either

Germany

Portugal

or the

Netherlands

not advance to the quarter-finals. But ousting either

Italy

or reigning world champions

Spain

is no easy task either. That being said, Croatia are a talented side who are ranked seventh in the FIFA world rankings, and with this being Slavan Bilic's last tournament before taking the helm at Lokomotiv Moscow, they could cause a disturbance in Group C against Italy, who have struggled in recent friendlies, and a Spanish national side without their all-time leading goalscorer David Villa.

Croatia

were seconds away from the semi-finals in Euro 2008, and would have set up a rematch with

Germany

(who they defeated in the group stages that year) were it not for an extra-time injury time equaliser from

Turkey

's Semih Sentűrk. Nikica Jelavic is also coming off a fantastic half-season for Everton, and it will be a challenge for opposing defenders to contain him.

England

It is important to remember that England are not considered to be a favourite to win Euro 2012, and injuries and suspensions to key players have thwarted their chances to impose themselves as a genuine threat amongst the stronger teams in this tournament. But two clean sheets later in friendlies against

Norway

and

Belgium

England

look as though they might be a difficult side to break down defensively. A lack of national expectation could world in England's favour, and Roy Hodgson also has the opportunity to grant youngsters like Danny Welbeck, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andy Carroll more playing time which could prove to be fruitful in the long run (Germany coach Joachim Löw favoured youth over experience at the 2010 World Cup – a decision which led his side to the semi-final stages). It is difficult to see where

England

's goals will come from (Ashley Young will be heavily relied upon to create scoring opportunities), and they will also need to top Group D in order to avoid

Spain

in the quarter-finals.

Third and Long

2012-05-01T19:58:00.000+01:00

Can Nigel Pearson guide Leicester City to the Premier League?

Nigel Pearson will hope to bounce back in August after a disappointing Championship campaign

Leicester's City's third consecutive season in the Championship ended on a high note last weekend with a 2-1 victory away at Leeds, as it did last season with a resounding home win over Ipswich. However, even the most ardent fan will say that the club fell well short of what was expected, and, more importantly, what it was capable of achieving, both this year and last. Leicester finished ninth in the league during another season in which players, fans, and the media considered them to be Premier League-bound, along with West Ham United (whose points total would have been enough to secure automatic promotion during four of the last five Championship campaigns). The homecoming of Nigel Pearson was a bold move by the owners, and one that gave supporters reason to believe that their season could be saved. But inconsistency plagued the Foxes all season, resulting in back-to-back league wins only twice, which inevitably left them falling well-short of the play-offs.

A number of sobering home performances defined Leicester's season: home defeats to Barnsley and Bristol City (who eventually finished in the bottom six of the Championship), a 3-0 home loss to Millwall, and arguably the worst of all, an uninspiring and unenthusiastic goalless draw with Burnley, when the Foxes were mathematically still in contention of reaching the play-offs. But the long and short of it is that many players did not regularly perform to the level which they were capable of this season, and that, as a club, Leicester were not good enough, and when they were, they were not consistent enough.

So, how does Nigel Pearson establish Leicester as a genuine promotion contender as he did two seasons ago? The owners showed faith in Pearson by hiring him, despite still being contracted to Hull City at the time (who eventually finished two points above Leicester this season). Another managerial change would indicate that his hiring (and firing) was a knee-jerk reaction. It is important that the club maintains a strong core - one that goes further than just the players. Pearson must be given the summer, with the backing of the club, to do what he can to give Leicester the best possible chance of becoming a real threat in the Championship. This does not necessarily mean spending vast amounts of money – although there are likely to be comings and goings at the King Power Stadium before August. But there are already some incredibly talented players at the club, and a very promising set of youngsters (Ben Marshall, Jeff Schlupp, Liam Moore and Tom Hopper, to name a few) - all worthy of playing in blue and white next season. Ultimately, every supporter will have their own view, but very rarely has a club been able to buy their way into the Premier League.

© Ben Sutherland, Flickr

Will players like Jermaine Beckford and Matt Mills feature in Nigel Pearson's starting XI next season?

It is unlikely that Nigel Pearson will make drastic changes ahead of the new season in terms of showing some players the door, but he will not be afraid to do so if that is what he believes will benefit the club. Reading are a fine example: Brian McDermott sold two of Reading's best players last summer (Shane Long and Matt Mills) before eventually going on to win the Championship and establishing them as the best team in the division. The Foxes were outplayed and outclassed by the Royals on both meetings last year, despite Leicester having, on paper, the stronger side. A good manager and a stable, consistent team are the foundations on which to build a promotion challenge to the Premier League.

So can Nigel Pearson restore that sense of cohesion and unity which seems to have become lost in the last couple of seasons? Judging on his record of taking Leicester to the brink of the Premier League in 2010 with roughly the same League One side he inherited (and subsequently built upon), he certainly has the ability to. Whether Foxes fans are having this discussion a year from now will indicate his success.

#ibelieve?

2012-04-16T20:44:00.003+01:00

Consistency the key for Championship success

A lack of consistency has been Leicester's downfall this season

Another defeat to a lower league side emphasises Leicester City's biggest problem this season: winning against struggling sides. The Foxes have been beaten by five of the bottom eight teams in the Championship (including losing both home and away against Barnsley, Bristol City and Millwall), a record which is completely baffling, considering that Leicester have beaten five of the eight teams above them (including home and away wins against automatic promotion contenders Southampton). Had Leicester drawn those five games lost against lower league opposition (or simply won two of those five), they would still be firmly in contention to make the play-offs.

The old cliché rings true here – the table does not lie. When at their best, Leicester have played some truly wonderful football this season. But they have also been outclassed by other teams in the Championship. Regular changes to the team have failed to yield a consistently strong line-up. There are areas of concern in several places, and even if Nigel Pearson somehow pulls off a miracle in the last three games of the season, he will surely spend most of the summer rebuilding in order to create the consistency similar to that he during his first spell in charge.

Clubs cannot buy success at Championship level. One only needs to look at the teams in promotion contention this season. Reading sold two of their key players in the summer (Matt Mills and Shane Long) and the Royals are now top of the league, looking the favourites to be crowned champions in three weeks' time. Nigel Atkins has stuck with roughly the same Southampton team crowned champions of League One, and look likely to secure back-to-back promotions (as Norwich City did last year). Birmingham, Blackpool and West Ham were all relegated from the Premier League last season, and so, if anything, have had to consolidate having lost key players, but still maintained a strong core to rebuild from. Leicester City, on the other hand, spent millions this summer, and their team, looks completely different from last season and look destined to finish outside the play-off places as they did in 2011. It is difficult for the team to be consistent on the pitch when the club is not consistent off the pitch.

Whatever happens during the final three games this season, Nigel Pearson is still a fan favourite. He enjoyed two very successful seasons with Leicester, and the club not parted ways with the manager, they would more than likely be in a better position than they are now. But it is very important that the owners give Pearson another season to bring the belief back to the King Power Stadium. This team is capable of reaching the Premier League, but it must become stable before it achieves real success.

(La la la la la la) Ben Marshall

2012-04-08T20:26:00.001+01:00

Why Leicester City's newest prospect is something for Foxes fans to get excited about

Ben Marshall has already become an integral part of this Leicester City side

Five games remaining. Five points outside the Championship play-off places. Following what can only be described as an inconsistent season, Leicester City somehow still find themselves with the slimmest chance of making the play-offs for the second time in three years. However, even the most optimistic Foxes fans will struggle to persuade others that promotion is still a possibility, bearing in mind that Leicester's fate this season is no longer in their own hands. Realistically, they must win all of their remaining games, and rely on other play-off contenders slipping up. The latter is possible, as all the teams currently occupying third to eighth in the Championship have struggled for recent form, winning four out of their last ten games at best (Leicester have won five of their last ten). The former is the problem. Nigel Pearson's side have only put up back-to-back wins once this season – something which has harnessed Leicester's success during this campaign.

But regardless of how Leicester's season pans out in terms of league position and play-off possibilities, there is a reason to be optimistic next year – and that's the signing of Ben Marshall.

Marshall's move to the East Midlands was a real accomplishment for Nigel Pearson. Several teams were supposedly interested in signing the Stoke forward in January, although many Leicester fans will probably hold their hands up and admit that they did not know much about Ben Marshall before his transfer. Although previously a Stoke player from 2009, he never started a competitive game for the Potters and spent the last three years on loan at various lower league clubs. After suffering a broken leg in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final in 2010 while on loan at Carlisle United, Marshall impressed at Sheffield Wednesday at the beginning of this season, scoring five goals in 22 appearances, and Gary Megson's inability to keep the 21-year-old at Hillsborough allegedly contributed to the former Foxes manager parting ways with Wednesday earlier this year.

Since penning a three-and-a-half year deal with Leicester City in January, the youngster has already made a real name for himself at the King Power Stadium. In just nine appearances for Nigel Pearson's side, Marshall has scored three superb goals (most notably in the Foxes 5-2 FA Cup quarter-final loss against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge), and also has been credited with three assists. His style of play is incredibly positive, and, although signed predominantly as a winger, has experienced considerable success playing just behind Jermaine Beckford in the middle of the pitch. Marshall's confidence is also sky high, having proven to Nigel Pearson that he is worthy of a spot in Leicester's starting eleven.

What's positive is that Ben Marshall is a Nigel Pearson signing. Due to the timing of Pearson's return to Leicester City, his opportunities to make changes have been limited. In theory, he inherited a squad that wasn't his – with the exception of a few players signed during his first spell with the club, namely Lloyd Dyer, Richie Wellens, Andy King and Steve Howard. That's not to say that Pearson is necessarily unhappy with his squad, but he clearly felt the need to make some alterations in the January transfer window. The addition of Wes Morgan indicated that it was thought that more depth was required in defence. The addition of Danny Drinkwater indicated that a spark was needed in midfield. Both have impressed since signing, and Ben Marshall is no exception to that small group of new signings.

Regardless of what division the Foxes are in next season, there is little doubt that Nigel Pearson has found a player to incorporate into his side, and possibly develop a team around. Players are likely to come and go in the summer to help solidify some consistency at Leicester City, and if Pearson continues to find more hidden treasures like Ben Marshall, next season promises to be one for the Blue Army look forward to. But in the meantime, he could be the catalyst needed over the next five games to spark a dramatic finale to Leicester's Championship campaign.

Leicester City 4 Doncaster Rovers 0 - 7th April 2012

2012-04-08T00:19:00.000+01:00

Foxes boost playoff hopes with resounding victory

Leicester have won eleven times at home in the Championship this season

Leicester City maintained their slim playoff hopes with a comfortable 4-0 win over relegation-threatened Doncaster United at the King Power Stadium.

Danny Drinkwater netted in the first-half following David Nugent's clever knock down, before Lee Peltier doubled the Foxes advantage after the break when his low cross somehow crept underneath Doncaster goalkeeper Carl Ikeme.

Ben Marshall put the game out of sight with a sublime curling strike from twenty yards, before substitute Paul Gallagher added a fourth with just minutes remaining.

It was a resounding victory for Leicester who are now unbeaten at the King Power Stadium since January, and one that closed the gap on sixth-placed Cardiff to just five points with as many games remaining in this Championship campaign.

Leicester came out swinging from the kick-off with David Nugent testing Carl Ikeme with a fierce strike from 30 yards, before Wes Morgan's clever header back across goal from a corner kick was almost turned in by Jermaine Beckford.

Beckford – who was showing no signs of any apparent fallout with Foxes manager Nigel Pearson after last weekend's 1-0 loss to Peterborough United – might have opened the scoring after five minutes after collecting Lee Peltier's ball into the Doncaster penalty area, but his shot lacked power and was easily cleared by the visitors.

At the other end, James Coppinger's shot from just outside the penalty area flew inches wide of Kasper Schmeichel's far post, while Giles Barnes came close for the away side moments later after a mix-up in defence between Sol Bamba and Wes Morgan.

Ben Marshall fired over the bar after initial good work out wide from Lloyd Dyer, before another defensive mistake gave Chris Brown the chance to give Doncaster an early advantage, but his shot failed to trouble Kasper Schmeichel.

Midway through the first-half, former Rovers captain Richie Wellens rose to meet Ben Marshall's out-swinging free-kick, but his header flew inches over the crossbar.

The deadlock was eventually broken with just over ten minutes remaining in the first-half when David Nugent cleverly headed down Wes Morgan's long ball into the path of Danny Drinkwater, whose half-volley beat Carl Ikeme and clipped the inside of the post on its way in.

It was a cleverly worked goal from the Foxes, and Drinkwater's first since joining Leicester at the beginning of the year.

Doncaster looked good value for adding an equaliser before the break but Kasper Schmeichel did well to save James Coppinger's well-hit effort from outside the penalty area.

Leicester doubled their advantage two minutes into the second-half when Lee Peltier fired a low near post cross into the six yard box which initially appeared to have been comfortably dealt with by Carl Ikeme, only for the ball to squeeze underneath his body and across the goal line.

It was an agonising goal for Dean Saunders' side to concede but just the stroke of luck which some Foxes fans would argue their side has not received so far this season.

With the Foxes now in control, Paul Konchesky and Lloyd Dyer both had chances to extend the lead, but Ikeme this time was equal to both efforts.

At the other end, Chris Brown inexplicably headed over from six yards when it seemed easier to hit the target – a moment which summed up the visiting side's day.

With ten minutes remaining in the game, Ben Marshall added a third to Leicester's tally when he picked the ball up on the left-hand side of the pitch before cutting inside and firing a stunning twenty yard curling strike past the helpless Ikeme.

It was Ben Marshall's third goal for the Foxes and one which added to his collection of outstanding strikes as the youngster continues to make a real name for himself at the King Power Stadium.

With Doncaster on the ropes, Marshall and substitute Paul Gallagher came close to furthering the Foxes' lead with successive efforts on goal, before Marshall struck the crossbar with a looping shot which had Ikeme well-beaten.

Gallagher added a fourth for Leicester in the dying moments of the match, latching on to a dissecting pass from Andy King and firing into the bottom corner of the goal from eighteen yards.

It was the Scotsman's tenth goal of the season and a good confident boost for the out-of-favour forward who has seen his chances limited in recent weeks due to injury.

The final whistle put Doncaster out of their misery as they slip further into relegation trouble, while a comfortable home win for Nigel Pearson's side reignites their playoff hopes for this season.

Man of the match – Ben Marshall

Leicester City 2 Hull City 1 - 24th March 2012

2012-03-25T11:53:00.003+01:00

Foxes fight back to snatch important win

Leicester have won four consecutive home games in the Championship

Leicester City reignited their play-off hopes yesterday afternoon after coming from behind to beat Hull City in a fiery encounter at the King Power Stadium.

Former Foxes striker Matty Fryatt put the visiting side ahead after eight minutes with a clever chip over Kasper Schmeichel, but two goals in quick succession from Lloyd Dyer and Ben Marshall gave Leicester the lead at half-time.

Neil Danns was shown a straight red with over half an hour left to play, but Nigel Pearson's ten men dug deep and held on for their fourth successive league win at home, closing the gap on the top six to just five points.

It was an important win for Pearson over his former employers after seeing his side concede an injury-time equaliser at Bloomfield Road against Blackpool on Wednesday night.

Leicester lined up differently to their usual 4-4-2 formation, with David Nugent playing wide on the left and youngster Ben Marshall playing just in front of the midfield behind Jermaine Beckford.

The Tigers had the better of a cagey opening, and took advantage of their first real chance when Neil Danns conceded the ball cheaply in midfield and Tom Cairney's through ball to Matty Fryatt allowed the former Leicester City forward to chip over the onrushing Kasper Schmeichel, giving Hull the lead.

It was a clinical finish from Fryatt but a cheap goal for the Foxes to concede, albeit almost somewhat typical of recent poor defensive displays over the last month.

Corey Evans fired wide just moments later before Josh King forced a good save from Kasper Schmeichel as the visitors looked to turn the screw.

But against the run of play, Lloyd Dyer found space on the right wing, cut inside his defender and fired a low strike across goal which found its way past Vito Mannone in the Hull goal and into the bottom corner.

It was a much-needed equaliser for Nigel Pearson's side who had been simply outplayed for the majority of the half.

Leicester's turnaround was completed just moments later when David Nugent regained possession shortly after the restart, played the ball to Ben Marshall inside the opposing half who fired a superb 30 yard shot past the onlooking Mannone.

It was a stunning strike from Marshall, not dissimilar to his goal in Leicester's 5-2 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Chelsea last weekend.

With the crowd of 23,000 now behind them, the Foxes began to play with more confidence, and could have extended their advantage when Lloyd Dyer's speedy counter-attack ripped through the Hull midfield, but his final ball to Jermaine Beckford was just too heavy.

Hull might have been level five minutes before half-time when Josh King volleyed inside the area, but Sean St. Ledger made a crucial block to keep Leicester's lead intact.

Ben Marshall then fired over after good build-up play by David Nugent just before the break, but came out the stronger side in the second-half as Lloyd Dyer beat two defenders inside the Hull penalty area before blasting wide into the side netting.

The game changed dramatically ten minutes after half-time when Neil Danns was shown a straight red by referee Nigel Miller for a dangerous challenge on Hull's Paul McKenna.

The foul sparked confrontational scenes on the pitch, most notably between Jermaine Beckford and former Foxes captain Jack Hobbs, although on first glance both Danns and McKenna seemed to go for the ball in similar fashion.

Hull immediately went on the front foot in search of an equaliser, and came close when Cameron Stewart forced a fine near-post save out of Kasper Schmeichel.

Jack Hobbs then saw his header crash against the post as Hull began to dominate possession, but Leicester held firm and might have put the game out of sight with just over ten minutes to go when Jermaine Beckford's excellent ball over the top to Danny Drinkwater gave the midfielder space to tee up a strike on goal, but his effort was well-saved by Vito Mannone.

Substitute Sol Bamba then hit the post with a low drive from 20 yards, before Lloyd Dyer fired wide after initially doing well to keep the ball in play on the touchline.

Hull continued to control possession, but Leicester defended resolutely and should have put the game to rest when Jermaine Beckford's stunning cross-field pass to Dyer allowed the winger to cut inside the last defender, but his shot flew just wide of the goal.

Wes Morgan made a crucial block inside the penalty area to thwart another Hull attack, before substitute Aaron Mclean fired high and wide for the visitors in what proved to be their last chance of the game.

The final whistle indicated a vital three points for Leicester City as they continue to make their bid for the play-offs, while Hull manager Nicky Barmby will have been disappointed to see his side unable to break down the ten-man opposition.

Man of the match – Lloyd Dyer

Chelsea 5 Leicester City 2 - 18th March 2012

2012-03-18T21:28:00.000+00:00

Five-star Chelsea end Foxes' FA Cup dream

Leicester's 6,000 travelling fans were in full voice at Stamford Bridge

Fernando Torres' brace ended his five-and-a-half-month goal drought and booked Chelsea's place in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley after beating Leicester City 5-2.

Gary Cahill and Salomon Kalou put the hosts ahead in the first-half, before Torres scored from close range after the break – his first goal in 23 hours of football.

Jermaine Beckford pulled a goal back for the Championship side although Torres' near post header restored Chelsea's two-goal advantage.

Ben Marshall's sublime effort from 30 yards gave Leicester a lifeline, but Raul Meireles' injury-time strike ended any chance of a memorable comeback.

Chelsea were good value for their 5-2 win and created a number of scoring opportunities, although Leicester manager Nigel Pearson will be unhappy with how some of some of the goals conceded.

As expected, the first-half was one-way traffic, with only a crucial block from Wes Morgan preventing Fernando Torres from getting on the score sheet within the opening few minutes of the match.

Torres would cause the Leicester backline problems all afternoon, Sol Bamba on the receiving end this time as he allowed the Spanish international to cut inside him into the penalty area as Wes Morgan was forced to clear the ball behind goal.

The ensuing corner-kick by Juan Mata was headed home from six yards by an unmarked Gary Cahill, who unveiled a "Praying for Muamba" t-shirt, a mark of respect to his former Bolton Wanderers team-mate Fabrice Muamba, who remains in a critical condition after collapsing on the pitch against Tottenham Hotspur yesterday afternoon.

Chelsea, high on confidence after an impressive 4-1 midweek win over Napoli in the Champions League, came close to doubling their lead moments later after excellent footwork from Daniel Sturridge allowed Raul Meireles to shoot from close range, and although his strike beat Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, full-back Paul Konchesky was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Leicester, who already looked on the ropes, found themselves 2-0 down after seventeen minutes when Fernando Torres raced down the flank before squaring to Salomon Kalou, who initially struggled to get the ball out from under his feet but regained his composure to finish coolly into the bottom corner.

The goal came from excellent work by Torres, who looked more like the prolific front man Chelsea fans had expected, rather than the striker who had previously netted just six times since his switch from Liverpool in 2011.

At the other end, Paul Gallagher fired over from distance before Sturridge struck just wide after getting the better of Sol Bamba again.

Fernando Torres then tested Kasper Schmeichel with a couple of shots from long range, in what would turn out to be a long day for the Danish goalkeeper, but he was equal to both strikes this time around.

Lloyd Dyer then set up Richie Wellens after a rare first-half attack by Leicester, but the Foxes captain dragged his shot wide of Peter Cech's goal.

Chelsea were dominating the midfield battle but Leicester's Neil Danns was still in fine attacking form, forcing Cech into a near-post fingertip save ten minutes before the break.

Leicester, to their credit, kept searching for a way into the match and might have done so through Lloyd Dyer after good work from Paul Konchesky and David Nugent, but the speedy winger pulled his shot over the bar as the first-half came to a close.

Substitute Florent Malouda was the first to try and extend Chelsea's lead in the second-half, but his shot flew wide after Leicester's defence continued to let attacking players cut inside.

Just before the hour mark, Sol Bamba was on hand to cut out Fernando Torres' pass to Daniel Sturridge in what would have been 3-0, although Chelsea did get their third shortly afterwards when Raul Meireles got the better of the struggling Bamba before the ball ended up at the feet of Torres, whose scuffed shot found its way past Kasper Schmeichel.

It was a long overdue goal for Torres and, although it came against lower league opposition, will be one both he and his team-mates remember as the one that ended his 152-day goal drought.

Torres could have scored again moments later as Chelsea continued to hammer the crumbling Leicester defence on the counter-attack, but his more spectacular strike flew just over the crossbar.

The visitors were handed a lifeline with thirteen minutes remaining when Neil Danns' thunderous strike from 25 yards smashed against the post, the rebound falling into the path of Jermaine Beckford who was on hand to tap home past the helpless Peter Cech.

It was Beckford's fifteenth FA Cup goal in as many starts in the tournament, and a deserved one for Leicester who had continued to attack Chelsea in the second-half despite finding themselves at a disadvantage in terms of both pace and class.

Torres did restore Chelsea's three-goal cushion with five minutes remaining after poor marking from a corner-kick allowed him to ghost in at the near post to head across goal and past a helpless Kasper Schmeichel, although Ben Marshall's emphatic 30-yard curling strike made it 4-2 just minutes after the restart gave the travelling 6,000 Leicester fans something to cheer about.

Raul Meireles put the Blues three goals ahead once again, with Torres again involved, this time the Spaniard racing down the left wing before picking out the Portuguese midfielder who coolly finished past Schmeichel from fourteen yards.

The final whistle ended Leicester City's FA Cup dream, but gave a resurgent Chelsea side a very realistic chance of winning some silverware this year after a difficult season.

Man of the Match – Fernando Torres

Leicester City 3 Birmingham City 1 - 13th March 2012

2012-03-13T22:54:00.003+00:00

Beckford brace keeps Leicester's playoff hopes alive

Beckford scored his tenth and eleventh goals for Leicester City

Jermaine Beckford scored two goals as Leicester came from behind to snatch all three points against Midlands-rivals Birmingham City.

The visitors took an early lead when Wade Elliott converted from the penalty spot, but Beckford drew the Foxes level with a close range finish.

Substitute Jeffrey Schlupp put the hosts ahead with just over ten minutes remaining, before Beckford raced ahead of the Birmingham defence to score his second and Leicester's third in second-half stoppage time.

It was a must win game for Nigel Pearson's side who, despite an inconsistent season, are still just six points outside the Championship playoff places, ahead of an FA Cup quarter-final trip to Chelsea on Sunday.

After a slow opening, Neil Danns' low drive on goal was the first real chance for either side, but Birmingham goalkeeper Boaz Myhill was equal to it, pushing the ball past the post.

David Nugent headed wide moments later before Wade Elliott's tame shot on goal at the other end did little to test Kasper Schmeichel.

Birmingham were then awarded a penalty against the run of play when Sol Bamba was adjudged to have obstructed Nikola Zigic inside the area, with Wade Elliott making no mistake from twelve yards in putting Chris Hughton's side 1-0 up.

It was a harsh decision by referee Mick Russell to award the spot kick, with both Bamba and Zigic appearing to tangle inside the box.

Leicester continued to play the better football as Paul Gallagher, making his return to the starting XI, did well to fire the ball across goal, but there was nobody in a blue shirt on hand to trouble Boaz Myhill.

Zigic then saw his powerful header strike the underside of the bar, as Leicester scrambled the ball away in what might have been game over for the Foxes.

Leicester found an equaliser after 34 minutes when David Nugent beat the Birmingham defence to a loose ball before firing across goal, and although his shot hit the foot of the post, his strike partner Jermaine Beckford made no mistake from close range, firing his side level.

The goal had been coming for the home side and Leicester were good value for their equaliser after Beckford and Nugent had threatened for the opening 35 minutes.

Lloyd Dyer's powerful near post strike was parried away by Boaz Myhill in first-half stoppage time as Leicester looked to take the lead before the break, while Andros Townsend had a glorious opportunity to restore Birmingham's advantage but fired over at the back post.

Leicester continued where they left off in the second-half and could have gone ahead ten minutes after the break when Paul Gallagher whipped a free-kick into a dangerous area, but a mix-up between Sean St. Ledger and Sol Bamba resulted in the ball falling harmlessly to Myhill.

Chris Burke's speculative 25-yard strike was then parried wide by Kasper Schmeichel, before Wellens tested Myhill with a long range strike of his own – the rebound falling to Jermaine Beckford who should have done better from close range, but his overhead kick sailed over the crossbar when the former Leeds and Everton striker probably had more time.

Neil Danns' shot was deflected wide after a quick counter attack through Lloyd Dyer, before Jermaine Beckford hit the outside of the post from close range – although he was adjudged to have used his arm to control the ball in the process.

Dyer then hit the side netting after a mazy run into the box, before Tom Kennedy's route one ball picked out substitute Jeffrey Schlupp who raced behind the Birmingham defence, the Ghanaian making no mistake in coolly slotting the ball past the oncoming Boaz Myhill from eighteen yards, who appeared to have been caught in two minds.

It was a deserved goal for Leicester who had maintained a level of energy and consistency throughout the match which will have pleased manager Nigel Pearson.

Birmingham went in search of an equaliser with ten minutes remaining and came close when Wade Elliott's fine strike from 25 yards flew inches over the crossbar, but Leicester could have doubled their advantage when Jermaine Beckford played a low ball across goal, but it was just too heavy for Lloyd Dyer.

With the last kick of the game, Leicester did get their third when Jermaine Beckford latched on to Sean St. Ledger's long ball and found himself one-on-one with Myhill, and, like Schlupp had done earlier, made no mistake in finding the back of the net to secure an important win for the Foxes.

It was a vital win for Leicester City to keep their playoff hopes alive after successive league defeats, but Nigel Pearson's men will now draw their attention to their FA Cup quarter-final trip to Stamford Bridge this Sunday against Premier League Chelsea.

Man of the Match – Jermaine Beckford