Cifuentes: Below The Standards

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Cifuentes: Below The Standards

Martí Cifuentes acknowledged that the performance level was not up to scratch during the first half of our 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United.

2025-11-30T09:00+00:00

by Sam Jones

Published

30 Nov, 2025

Cifuentes: Below The Standards

Martí Cifuentes acknowledged that the performance level was not up to scratch during the first half of our 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United.

Sam Jones

2025-11-30T09:00+00:00

Cifuentes: Below The Standards

Martí Cifuentes acknowledged that the performance level was not up to scratch during the first half of our 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United.

Sam Jones

2025-11-30T09:00+00:00

Cifuentes: Below The Standards

Martí Cifuentes acknowledged that the performance level was not up to scratch during the first half of our 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United.

Sam Jones

2025-11-30T09:00+00:00

Cifuentes: Below The Standards

Martí Cifuentes acknowledged that the performance level was not up to scratch during the first half of our 3-2 defeat to Sheffield United.

Sam Jones

2025-11-30T09:00+00:00

Leicester City lost 3-2 to Sheffield United at King Power Stadium on Saturday
Goals from Stephy Mavididi and Jordan James weren’t enough to complete a comeback
Manager Martí Cifuentes gave his account of a disappointing afternoon on Filbert Way

Former Fox Tom Cannon and Jaïro Riedewald had Chris Wilder’s Blades side two to the good early on, before Sydie Peck netted the visitors’ third with 32 minutes on the clock at King Power Stadium.

Stephy Mavididi pulled one back to spark a potential comeback which gathered pace once Jordan James struck from range with seven minutes to play, but it was too little too late and Leicester were consigned to a second successive defeat in a matter of four days.

“It’s definitely a game that we started so poorly,” City’s Manager analysed after full-time on Saturday. “Such low standards are simply not acceptable. Two goals down after four minutes, [it’s] not the reaction that we were looking for after a disappointing game against Southampton.

“The second half was much better and gave us something to take, but after this level in the first half, obviously it is a game I cannot accept in terms of the standards. I learned a lot about some players today, but some signs were encouraging.

“We reinforced again that it was important to start well. The first 15 minutes would be key to try and take the lead and stay on the front foot. But we did just the opposite. It’s a lot of individual mistakes and actions that are below the standards and then it’s very difficult to compete at this level.

“Of course, the two goals on set plays were difficult to swallow. I think the summary of the first half is that it was unacceptable. I totally understand the fans being disappointed and the reaction at half-time, because it was extremely frustrating.”

The second half response was certainly more encouraging, turning the momentum of the game in City’s favour following a triple change at the break. One of those was enforced, following Wout Faes suffering a cut to the face late in the first half, leading to Oliver Skipp coming in at centre-back and Boubakary Soumaré taking his position in the middle.

“The bar was not high after the first half, but it’s true there was a reaction,” the Spaniard continued. “I appreciate the efforts of some players. He (Faes) was very dizzy. He got a lot of stitches and was bleeding a lot, so it was not possible for him to keep playing.

“Skippy was playing in a very unnatural position because we didn’t have a centre half on the pitch and he has done a good job in both games, last game as well playing as a left full-back, so he’s committed.

“Jordan [James] and Bouba [Soumaré] gave us good energy. When you are 3-0 down, it’s easier. Sheffield, in the second half, just sat back. We had the capacity to create some chances and score two goals, but it was not enough.

“I appreciate the help that the fans gave us in those minutes because we were really pushing for it. It makes the first half even more frustrating because we were definitely close to getting at least the third goal.

“The gap was too big, but we tried to put some pressure on Sheffield and unfortunately, we couldn’t get that extra goal. We were making things very difficult for ourselves to concede three goals in the first half.”

We have a week’s gap until our next Sky Bet Championship fixture, away to Derby County next Saturday, another 12:30pm GMT kick-off, as we look to get back to winning ways.

“We now need to reflect on what went wrong in the last two games because we were building some momentum after the two wins against Norwich and Stoke,” the 43-year-old added. “We need to regroup and understand how to fix things, which I’m sure I know how to do it and then come again next Saturday.”

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