Leicester City 4-0 Nottingham Forest (Premier League) 03.10.22
It was a night to forget for Nottingham Forest fans as their side were comprehensively thumped by East Midlands neighbours Leicester City who in return pick up their first win of the season and jump above the reds who now sit rock bottom of the Premier League.
A deflected effort by James Maddison after Jesse Lingard’s poor clearance fell to the feet of the Foxes star player, helped Leicester on their way after 25 minutes, by then Forest had already a scare after Barnes headed wide from close range following good work by Maddison who crossed into the six yard box.
Reds Manager Steve Cooper had highlighted his sides failings after conceding in recent matches, but it wasn’t lesson learned as they fell down to another goal shortly after the first, Harvey Barnes curling home from outside the box on 27 to double the home sides lead, easing their own fans tensions after what has been a terrible start to the season.
In fact, Leicester’s woeful run starting has largely been put down to the thumping they received at Forest in the cup in February, this was payback against a side that Brendan Rodgers felt he owed one, his side came out of the traps in sensational style to put the record straight, although this was far from the Forest of February, only three players starting last night, started the 4-1 cup win at the City Ground.
Leicester made it three before half time, Maddison curling home a free kick, all goals coming from outside the box, it was the fifteenth goal in four games that Forest had conceded, unfortunately it wasn’t the last.
After making three changes at half-time the Reds did improve, slightly, in the second half, and might have grabbed a couple themselves, but when substitute Patson Daka back-heeled on 73, it completed a rout, and a miserable night down the A46 to forget.
Post game, Reds boss Steve Cooper spoke well, he said “The tougher it gets the more I work and the more it means to me.
He continued “That is what leadership is. It is standing up and being counted and being a role model on the training ground. It is a poor run of results. The stats on chances and goals conceded are not good and we are trying to address it. But we are not giving up. This group of players care.”
The only question now is whether the Welshman, increasingly coming under pressure with media speculation already circling over his replacement, will he be able to continue with the job he’s started, or will Evangelos Marinakis cut the rope, that is now dangling dangerously towards an inevitable return to the Championship.
Leicester City: Ward, Casatgne, Evans, Faes, Justin, Maddison (Albrighton 85), Tielemans (Praet 80), Ndidi (Soumare 46), Dewsbury-Hall, Barnes, Vardy (Daka 62).
Nottingham Forest: Henderson, Williams (Aurier 46), Cook, Kouyate (Freuler 46), McKenna, Lodi, O’Brien (Yates 46), Lingard (Mangala 69), Gibbs-White, Johnson, Awoniyi (Dennis 62).
Venue: King Power Stadium (32,202)
*Main image @LCFC Forest well beaten after a bad night in Leicester.
