Season Review: September's Highlight Comes In Carabao Cup
As part of a daily feature on LCFC.com, we continue to review the 2017/18 season with a look at September...
City 1 Chelsea 2
King Power Stadium
Premier League
Saturday 9 September
Vardy 62' pen / Morata 41', Kante 50'
Leicester City couldn’t quite complete a second-half comeback as Chelsea recorded a 2-1 Premier League victory at King Power Stadium.
An end-to-end opening period saw opportunities fall to both sides, as Kasper Schmeichel collected an effort from Alvaro Morata, before Jamie Vardy saw his effort blocked by Blues skipper Cesar Azpilicueta.
Schmeichel then turned away David Luiz’s ambitious 35-yard free kick with ease midway through the first period, while Vardy had another chance to break the deadlock with 26 minutes on the clock, but his effort rolled just past Thibaut Courtois’ upright.
A sudden downpour created difficult conditions on Filbert Way, but both outfits continued to flow forward.
A huge chance for Islam Slimani to score his third goal of the season came with five minutes of the first half to play, only for the Algerian to be denied by Courtois.
Leicester City 1 Chelsea 2
Watch extended highlights of the Foxes' 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday…
Just a minute later, Chelsea took the lead. Azpilicueta’s cross from the right found Morata, who got up well to nod past Schmeichel and put his side in front.
Christian Fuchs, Vardy and Matty James all had strikes blocked, but the Foxes could not breach Chelsea’s back line, while Schmeichel was alert to Victor Moses’ shot on the stroke of half-time.
Antonio Conte’s men doubled their advantage five minutes into the second half through former Fox N’Golo Kanté, whose low effort found its way into the back of the net.
City responded brilliantly and were level just after the hour mark. Courtois raced out and brought down Vardy, who won and converted the penalty to halve the deficit at King Power Stadium.
While Chelsea looked dangerous on the counter-attack, Craig Shakespeare’s men looked impressive late on, but could not break down their opponents for a second time in the game.
After Schmeichel made a fine point-blank save to deny substitute Willian from close range, at the other end, Andy King came agonisingly close to getting onto the end of a Fuchs long throw, but it wasn't to be.
Huddersfield Town 1 City 1
John Smith's Stadium
Premier League
Saturday 16 September
Depoitre 46' / Vardy 50' pen
Leicester City battled to a 1-1 Premier League draw with Huddersfield Town at John Smith’s Stadium to record their fourth point of the season.
It proved to be an entertaining encounter in West Yorkshire and it was the hosts who first threatened through Laurent Depoitre – the striker nodding straight at Kasper Schmeichel in the City net.
Danny Simpson did well to put in two blocks shortly after, while Danny Williams sent an effort off target as Huddersfield continued to flow forward in the first period.
Three opportunities just before the break followed for City.
Riyad Mahrez saw a free kick blocked by the wall, Kelechi Iheanacho – making his first start for the Club – had a strike blocked in the box and Jamie Vardy hooked wide on the stroke of half-time.
Goalless after 45 lively minutes, it took just seconds for David Wagner’s men to breach the City defence. Depoitre did well to get past his marker, before slotting in to put his side in front.
Huddersfield Town 1 Leicester City 1
Watch the best of the action as the Foxes took on Huddersfield Town at John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday...
Just three minutes later, the Foxes were awarded a penalty. Andy King was brought down by Chris Lowe in the Huddersfield box and Vardy stepped up to take it.
The England international front man sent Jonas Lossl the wrong way to score his fourth goal of the season.
After the hour mark, the hosts thought they had scored a second, but Elias Kachunga was flagged offside after nodding home from close range.
A golden chance for Vardy followed on 70 minutes, as Mahrez delivered to the back post. City’s No.9 was positioned well, but failed to make contact.
After substitute Collin Quaner had fired wide for the Terriers with five minutes to play, City had one final chance through Islam Slimani, who after making space 25 yards from goal, curled high and wide.
City 2 Liverpool 0
King Power Stadium
Carabao Cup Third Round
Tuesday 19 September
Okazaki 65', Slimani 78'
Superb Shinji Okazaki and Islam Slimani strikes helped Leicester City beat Liverpool at King Power Stadium to reach Round 4 of the Carabao Cup.
After a fraught opening period on Tuesday night, Okazaki latched onto Vicente Iborra’s header after 65 minutes to spark new life into City and put them ahead before Slimani’s curler late on.
Craig Shakespeare made seven changes to the line-up which drew 1-1 at Huddersfield Town in the Premier League at the weekend, handing a debut to Austria defender Aleksandar Dragović.
In front of a full house on Filbert Way, the Foxes were up against an experienced Reds outfit who - with Philippe Coutinho back among their ranks - looked dangerous at every turn in attack.
Inside 10 minutes, captain Wes Morgan and Academy product Ben Chilwell had to be alert to the Brazilian’s eclectic talents with a succession of last-ditch challenges to deny him at the back.
Goalkeeper Ben Hamer, deputising for Kasper Schmeichel, also impressed for the Foxes and it was his smart save which frustrated Coutinho once again early on at King Power Stadium.
Leicester City 2-0 Liverpool
Watch all the action from the Foxes' thrilling Carabao Cup clash which saw them overcome Liverpool 2-0 at King Power Stadium.
While Jürgen Klopp’s eight-time holders had City worried on occasions, Demarai Gray and Marc Albrighton also threatened, cutting inside on the flanks and seizing upon loose balls.
Following the interval, Leonardo Ulloa sustained an injury while covering for his colleagues at the back, paving the way for Okazaki to continue his rich goalscoring form this season.
The Japan international, who recently helped his country qualify for the 2018 World Cup, made an instant impact for Shakespeare’s men, driving them forwards whenever possible.
His industrious nature paid dividends on 65 minutes when Iborra headed it down into his path before he twisted and turned in the box and picked his spot in Danny Ward’s bottom corner.
Buoyed by their one-goal advantage, City pressed forwards in numbers and they were rewarded for their attacking intent when Slimani located the top corner from 25 yards to make it 2-0.
Late on, in a move which contributed to the feel-good factor on Filbert Way, Shakespeare then handed a cameo to youngster Hamza Choudhury, who featured for eight minutes.
City 2 Liverpool 3
King Power Stadium
Premier League
Saturday 23 September
Okazaki 45+3', Vardy 69' / Salah 15', Coutinho 23', Henderson 68'
Despite a gallant display, Leicester City suffered their fourth Premier League defeat of the season at the hands of Liverpool at King Power Stadium.
The Foxes came close to opening the scoring early on, as Jamie Vardy was denied by Simon Mignolet from a tight angle before Riyad Mahrez turned the rebound over.
Liverpool responded well through Emre Can, who struck the base of the post, while Mohamed Salah couldn’t convert follow-up.
But the Egypt international continued to pose a threat and on 15 minutes headed home a pin-point Philippe Coutinho cross to put the Reds in front.
Soon after, Jurgen Klopp’s men were 2-0 up courtesy of a stunning free kick from Coutinho.
The Brazilian lifted his effort over the wall from 25 yards and found the top corner, giving Kasper Schmeichel no chance.
Leicester City 2 Liverpool 3
Watch extended highlights of the Foxes 3-2 defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday...
Shinji Okazaki had an effort disallowed with five minutes of the first period to play, but the frontman finally got his goal on the stroke of half-time, as he stabbed home on the line.
After the interval, Can nodded over at the back post and Coutinho saw a shot blocked by Wes Morgan, while at the other end, Vardy was also denied before seeing a penalty appeal turned down.
While the Merseyside outfit restored their two-goal advantage on 68 minutes through Jordan Henderson, it wouldn’t last for long.
Substitute Demarai Gray came on and provided a danger on the right flank and played a major part in City’s second. The winger had a strike saved by Mignolet, but Vardy was there to nod home the loose ball.
The England international had a golden opportunity to level from the spot on 73 minutes after being brought down by Mignolet in the area.
He couldn’t beat the Liverpool stopper, though, and was thwarted from the spot.
City had the lion’s share of possession late on, with Islam Slimani heading off target, but they couldn’t find an equaliser against the Reds and were beaten for the second time on home soil this term.
AFC Bournemouth 0 City 0
Premier League
Vitality Stadium
Saturday 30 September
Leicester City put in a resolute defensive performance to grind out a goalless Premier League draw against Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium.
A frantic opening period saw Jermain Defoe strike the crossbar inside three minutes before Marc Pugh, scorer of the winning goal the last time the two sides met on the south coast, fired wide from a counter attack.
Kasper Schmeichel was then on hand to deny Josh King with his legs, while Junior Stanislas was next to threaten as the forward curled wide with his left foot.
Craig Shakespeare’s men got a foothold in the game following Bournemouth’s bright start and after absorbing pressure, came forward through Jamie Vardy.
On the stroke of half-time, the England international flew down the left flank and delivered into Marc Albrighton, only for Charlie Daniels to put in a vital interception at the back post.
Bounemouth 0 Leicester City 0
Watch extended highlights of the Foxes' draw with Bournemouth in the Premier League earlier this season.
After the break, Schmeichel had to be alert to an Adam Smith effort on 57 minutes, while shortly after, the Denmark stopper palmed away Josh King’s dangerous delivery from the left.
City’s best opportunity of the game came on the hour mark. Vardy trapped a long ball in the area and Shinji Okazaki followed it up with an effort from close range that flew just wide of the mark.
Pugh, Defoe and Andrew Surman all sent efforts off target shortly after, while a strike from Demarai Gray was saved by Asmir Begovic and Wilfred Ndidi had a powerful volley blocked by the Cherries back line.
Substitute Riyad Mahrez was the next man to be denied, before Surman forced Schmeichel into another stop and Vardy sliced wide at the other end.
However, there would be no breakthrough in Bournemouth.
September in a nutshell:
LCFC goals: 6
Top scorer: Vardy (3)
Premier League standing: 17th