Leicester City vs Fulham. Premier League.
The King Power StadiumAttendance30,813.
Highlights and match report as Fulham go seventh with their third consecutive victory; Aleksandar Mitrovic's first-half goal was enough for the visitors, who held on in the second half thanks to a number of Bernd Leno saves; Leicester are 13th but just three points above the bottom three
Wednesday 4 January 2023 06:23, UK
Aleksandar Mitrovic's first-half strike was enough for Fulham to beat Leicester 1-0 at the King Power Stadium and move up to seventh in the Premier League.
The sides went into the game in contrasting form, with Leicester losing two in a row following the Premier League's resumption, while Fulham had taken six points from six.
The opening exchanges went true to form, with the west Londoners dominating their hosts and taking the lead in the 17th minute when Mitrovic lashed the ball past Danny Ward from Willian's excellent lofted pass.
Leicester grew into the game after their dreadful start and dominated throughout the second half, but could not find a way past the impressive Bernd Leno, meaning they now find themselves just three points clear of the relegation zone in 13th.
Leicester looked like they had fully recovered from their wretched start to the season by recording six wins from their final seven matches before the World Cup, but that momentum has been well and truly snuffed out, with the Foxes having lost three straight in the Premier League.
Their tepid start could perhaps be explained by losing influential midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the warm-up, and Brendan Rodgers surely could not believe his luck when Boubakary Soumare had to replaced less than 10 minutes into the game.
Fulham had already spurned two good chances through Willian by that time though, and took a deserved lead when Mitrovic scored from the former Chelsea and Arsenal winger’s assist.
In truth, Fulham offered very little else from an attacking standpoint, with Marco Silva’s side seemingly happy to sit back and protect their lead as Leicester found their feet.
The hosts' shooting was wayward in the first half but they began to test Bernd Leno after the break, with the goalkeeper denying Harvey Barnes, Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez as Leicester began to dominate.
Youri Tielemans also tried his luck on a number of occasions and came close to replicating his stunning strike against Everton earlier this season late on, but instead saw his rasping effort come back off the bar.
That was as close as Leicester came, and Fulham should have sealed victory when Harry Wilson broke clear in the closing stages, but the substitute could only dink his effort wide of the near post.
The only downside for Fulham was a late booking for Mitrovic, meaning the striker - who has 11 Premier League goals this season - will miss next Thursday's clash with rivals Chelsea through suspension.
Silva was pleased with the way his side held onto the three points at Leicester despite being pushed all the way by Southampton last Saturday, saying: "It’s the best way to start 2023. Proud of the players. I’m really pleased for them - they deserve all of the credit.
"After the game last Saturday [at home to Southampton] we came here with just two days between games. First half we started really well and we showed our quality from the first minute. We should have scored earlier in the game but the way in which Mitro finished was top quality.
"The second half was completely different. You have to be really resilient to come here and win. I know what they are capable of with their quality. They pushed us back but we stuck together."
Mitrovic's goal means he has already equalled his record in a Premier League season and Silva said: "He will get more, for sure.
"We will keep providing for him. It’s not important the number. Since we arrived he is breaking records and he is so special for this football club."
Asked whether the two injuries his side suffered summed up Leicester's current fortunes, Rodgers said: "A little bit. It’s a very small squad and the players are giving everything.
"Kiernan coming out changed the whole dynamic of the team. For the first 15, 20-minute period, it put us on the backfoot and led to us conceding a poor goal.
"But after that, I can’t say anything more about the players other than giving them huge credit. Their goalkeeper makes some great saves and we have some opportunities we maybe should finish, but we created enough to take at least something from the game.
"I’m really disappointed for the players because they put so much into it. Our last two performances have deserved more."
Sky Sports' Joe Shread:
Amongst 12 summer signings, Bernd Leno's arrival may not have been the one to get the pulses racing among the Craven Cottage regulars, but he is proving to be one of Fulham’s key performers in what is turning into a hugely impressive season.
The 30-year-old’s reputation took a hit after he lost his place at Arsenal to Aaron Ramsdale, with the relegation down the pecking order clearly stinging Leno, who criticised the club’s “politics” on his way through the exit door.
Leno’s demotion at Arsenal was no surprise given a number of costly errors but he has shown why he is the owner of nine Germany caps during his time with Fulham.
The former Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper came to the fore during the second half at Leicester, with impressive saves from Barnes, Vardy and Perez preserving his side's lead.
Since establishing himself as Fulham’s No 1, Leno is second only to Brentford’s David Raya for saves per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, while he has let in 3.87 fewer goals than expected from the shots he has faced in his 16 league games.
At just £8m, taking Leno from north to west London is proving to be a shrewd piece of business for Fulham.
Sky Sports' Joe Shread:
The woeful form of relegation candidates Everton and West Ham ensures that Frank Lampard and David Moyes are currently the favourites to be the next Premier League managers to lose their jobs, but there’s a reason why Brendan Rodgers is next on that list.
Leicester may not yet be resembling the side that picked up just one point from their opening seven Premier League games, but three defeats in a row following the World Cup have left the Foxes just three points above the relegation zone.
The way in which a number of Leicester’s players have regressed is a huge cause for concern, too, with Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy currently resembling shadows of their former selves.
Leicester’s struggles in the summer transfer market were well documented but Rodgers believes there is money to spend now the window is open again this month.
Whether that proves to be the case remains to be seen but the manager better hope that it is true, with his ailing squad in dire need of reinforcements.
Fulham were a Championship side last season but spent wisely in the summer and, player for player, look a better team than Leicester, despite the Foxes finishing in the top half of the Premier League for the past five seasons.
That is a damning indictment of Leicester’s current status - which could get increasingly precarious as the winter window unfolds.
Leicester's next game is away to Gillingham in the FA Cup third round on Saturday - kick-off 12.30pm.
The Foxes then take on Newcastle at St James' Park in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports - kick-off 8pm.
Fulham's next fixture is also away to EFL opposition in the FA Cup third round, with the west Londoners travelling to Hull on Saturday - kick-off 3pm.
Fulham then host rivals Chelsea in the Premier League on Thursday, January 12 - kick-off 8pm.
