Gameday 10:
Norwich City 1 Leicester City 2
Saturday 3 October, 2015
Barclays Premier League
Goals: Mbokani 68; Vardy pen 28, Schlupp 47
Attendance: 27,067
Match Report:
A brilliant battling display from Leicester City saw them return to winning ways with a hard fought 2-1 Barclays Premier League victory against Norwich City at Carrow Road.
It was England striker Jamie Vardy who opened the scoring emphatically from the penalty spot midway through the first half after being brought down inside the box by Sebastien Bassong.
Jeffrey Schlupp doubled that advantage with a delightful low finish just minutes after the break, but Norwich eventually pulled a goal back through substitute Dieumerci Mbokani.
Norwich bombarded the Foxes with a late spell of pressure, but it wasn’t enough, as City deservedly took all three points to move up to fourth place in the league table.
Manager Reaction:
“It was very, very important. After our first defeat against Arsenal we wanted to see this kind of performance. It was fantastic because in the battle the players were very calm and showed a very good performance.
“We wanted to create more chances to score goals. We suffered a lot in the second half but it was a battle and we won.
“In the first half we were very good and so was the shape. When they lost the ball we went on the counter attack and scored a goal. At half time, I spoke with the players about how important it was to start the second half well because they will put us under pressure.
“There was a lot of balls in the box and it was important to go on the counter attack. NG (N’Golo Kanté) and Schlupp made a fantastic counter attack.”
League Position: 5
Gameday 11:
Southampton 2 Leicester City 2
Saturday 17 October, 2015
Barclays Premier League
Goals: Fonte 21, Van Dijk 37; Vardy 67, 90
Attendance: 31,559
Match Report:
Yet another stunning comeback from Leicester City saw them claim a thoroughly deserved Barclays Premier League point from Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday.
The Foxes had to do it the hard way after they were undone by two set plays in the first half. Southampton skipper Jose Fonte nodded in the opener from a Dušan Tadić corner, before fellow defender Virgil van Dijk converted at the far post after a Graziano Pellè header struck the upright.
Premier League top scorer Jamie Vardy was the man to give the Foxes hope with an excellent header from substitute Nathan Dyer’s cross midway through the second half – the sixth successive league game in which he has found the net.
Another substitute, Riyad Mahrez, then weighted a perfectly timed pass for Vardy to net his second and Leicester’s equaliser deep into second half stoppage time and move them 12 points clear of the drop zone in the process.
Manager Reaction:
“I’m very happy because our spirit is amazing. We have a very good spirit and we played very well but in the first half we were down two goals from the set pieces.
“Sometimes you can do nothing against a player who is taller than you. Maybe you can be a little smarter but they were taller and the second goal was maybe offside. But it’s OK. We played well and we were desperate to come back in the match.
“After the first goal we made a very fantastic finish. They had the counter attack but we covered very well and we created enough chances to win the match.
“I told them with our spirit anything could be possible. For me if we lose 2-0, 3-0 or 4-0, nothing happens but I want to see us fight until the end. Then it’s important to score a goal because the opponent is under pressure and we’ll have nothing to lose in this moment.”
League Position: 5
Gameday 12:
Leicester City 1 Crystal Palace 0
Saturday 24 October, 2015
Barclays Premier League
Goal: Vardy 59
Attendance: 31,752
Match Report:
A first clean sheet of the Barclays Premier League season, combined with a Club record-breaking strike from Jamie Vardy, saw Leicester City beat Crystal Palace at King Power Stadium on Saturday.
Vardy’s second-half effort ensured all three points went to the Foxes, who put in a superb defensive performance in the late stages to secure a first shut-out of the campaign.
Marc Albrighton came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first period after striking the upright, but when fellow wide-man Riyad Mahrez pounced on a Brede Hangeland mistake after half-time, he found the inbound, in-form Vardy.
Mahrez delivered a perfectly-weighted through-ball into the feet of City’s No.9, who lifted the ball over the on-rushing Wayne Hennessey, before hammering in from close range, breaking a Club record in the process.
Manager Reaction:
“We needed the support because Crystal Palace were desperate and delivering the ball into the box. We conceded a lot of centimetres and for us it was important to feel the feeling between us and the fans. It was great.
“I spoke with my players about the counter attack. We conceded very few counter attacks and we stopped all of them. Maybe we learned from the Arsenal match.
“It was a tough match. Crystal Palace players are very tall and bigger than us but we have a very great heart and great spirit that I’m very proud of.
“We fight. For every ball we try to fight to take something good. That’s how we scored the first.”
League Position: 5
Gameday 13:
Hull City 1 Leicester City 1 AET (5-4 pens)
Tuesday 27 October, 2015
Capital One Cup
Goals: Hernandez 105; Mahrez 100
Attendance: 16,818
Match Report:
Leicester City’s Capital One Cup campaign came to an end on Tuesday night with a 5-4 penalty shootout defeat to Hull City at the KC Stadium after the scores were tied at 1-1 at the end of extra-time.
With the game deadlocked, City substitutes Danny Drinkwater, Jamie Vardy and Mahrez all combined in a deadly counter in the 100th minute to finally breach the Hull defence.
However just minutes later, Chuba Akpom’s shot was saved into the path of Hull top scorer Abel Hernández, who rattled the ball over the line from close range.
That meant penalties were in order, and after Mahrez’s opening effort was tipped onto the post, Hull converted all five of their spot kicks to emerge with a 5-4 shootout victory.
Manager Reaction:
“I’m not happy for the result but I’m happy for the performance because we knew it was a tough match and we played strongly.
“We tried to do our best and we scored a goal but we conceded a goal in a bad moment. We were very, very close to finishing the match with a win but we then lost the penalty shootout.
“It’s OK, I’m very glad for the performance from Ben Chilwell because he played like a mature player.
“Hull City at home are very good. They are second in the Championship. It was a good match for us and we played strongly to try to win the match. We lost the match but the performance was OK.”
Gameday 14:
West Bromwich Albion 2 Leicester City 3
Saturday 31 October, 2015
Barclays Premier League
Goals: Rondon 30, Lambert pen 84; Mahrez 57, 65, Vardy 77
Attendance: 24,150
Match Report:
Jamie Vardy scored for the eighth consecutive Barclays Premier League match as Leicester City beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2 at the Hawthorns to move up to third in the table.
For the sixth time this season they had to come from behind however, as Saloman Rondon headed the hosts ahead on the half hour mark, but a brace of goals from Riyad Mahrez after the break had City in a 2-1 lead – his seventh and eighth of the campaign.
Vardy then took his league tally to 11 in as many games with a beautiful low finish, before substitute Rickie Lambert gave the Baggies hope with a late penalty.
That wasn’t to be enough though as City emerged 3-2 victors in what was their ninth Premier League away game without defeat – a run stretching back to March last season.
Manager Reaction:
“It was important to win today against a good team. We know how difficult it is to win here, they won the last two games 1-0 and were very confident. But we were confident of doing something good.
“I don’t think we deserved to lose the first half, we created good chances to score and from their first chance, a set play, they score a goal.
“We were playing well and, during half-time, I told the players to carry on because sooner or later we would score a goal. I’m very pleased with the performance.
“In this moment, I think just about 40 points. My mind is on achieving 40 points as soon as possible. Then we’ll see which month we are in and what games are left."
League Position: 3
Top scorer: Jamie Vardy (five goals)
High Point: Jamie Vardy’s goalscoring streak began to gain serious momentum, as the striker ended the month having scored for the eighth consecutive league game.
Low Point: The Foxes’ penalty shootout defeat at Hull City saw them exit the Capital One Cup at the fourth round stage, with youngster Ben Chilwell impressing on his debut for the .