Leicester City claimed a hat-trick of consecutive wins at the King Power Stadium as they ran out 2-1 winners over the afternoon’s visitors Hull City.
Leicester gaffer Nigel Pearson was forced into making one change from the Starting XI that drew 3-3 with Blackpool midweek, after Richie Wellens suffered a calf injury during the build-up to the fixture. His place in midfield was taken by the recently impressive Danny Drinkwater, whose slick performances out on the right wing and as a substitute in previous matches have seen the former Manchester United player fit comfortably into Pearson’s starting squad. Drinkwater’s move to central midfield allowed Ben Marshall to gain his first start in a Leicester City jersey, in the right midfield position.
Hull faced another match without the talents of their captian Robert Koren, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Corey Evans was passed fit prior to the match, having overcome his own hamstring injury.
The match kicked off with Hull going on the offensive straight from the get-go; Josh King with an effort on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal which ended up buried in the Spion Kop Stand behind the goal. Hull’s 4-3-3 formation proved difficult for the home side to grasp a hold of, and subsequently resulted in Nigel Pearson adopting the same formation. Lloyd Dyer and David Nugent were moved to the right and left of Jermaine Beckford up front with Marshall, Danns and Drinkwater in midfield.
As of late, Leicester have been victims of their own demise, with a number of defensive errors leading to eight goals conceded in just two games. Such frailties appeared to persist on 7 minutes, after former Leicester striker Matty Fryatt tucked the ball away from the edge of the six-yard box, after latching onto a ball supplied by Tom Cairney that slipped past an out of position Neil Danns’ in the middle of the park, to score his 10th goal of the season.
Leicester have seemingly become experts at bouncing back in the face of adversity, which has been handy in terms of covering up the defensive errors. Today’s match against Hull proved no different, with Leicester equalising ten minutes later courtesy of a blistering Lloyd Dyer strike; the tall and pacey winger outpaced the Hull City defence to cut in and strike from the edge of the penalty box and sent the ball hard and low into the bottom left corner.
Leicester further extended their goal tally a minute later, with Marshall’s 30-yard deflected effort finding it’s way past Hull’s goalkeeper Vito Mannone to crash into the top right corner of the net.
Both City goals were subject to well worked runs from Nugent in his new found position on the left wing, which allowed him to run at the Hull defence and create two well taken chances; surely something for Pearson to consider for the rest of the season.
Leicester continued to push, trying to further extend their lead over Pearson’s former team, whose fans were more than keen to express their dismay at Pearson’s departure from Hull in October last year. Despite vocal opposition, Leicester were the team in charge; Beckford and Marshall both firing over the cross bar from the edge of the penalty box, prior to half-time.
Early in the second half it seemed the home side would benefit most from the break, with a rejuvenated defensive back-four seeming much more organised and able to deal with Hull’s efforts, lead by the impressive Manchester United loanee Josh King. Hull’s attack opened the door for a Foxes’ counter attack on 54 minutes, as Lloyd Dyer once again made a blistering run down the right only to scuff an effort wide.
On 56 minutes Neil Danns and Paul McKenna chased a dead ball which resulted in a crunching tackle, dealing McKenna a blow to the lower shin. Having mulled over the decision for a matter of seconds, Nigel Miller showed a straight red card to Danns who left he pitch during his first game as captain for Leicester City. Danns’ dismissal forced Pearson into adapting to a 4-4-1 formation with Nugent replaced by Sol Bamba, who fitted into centre midfield with Danny Drinkwater, playing with a defensive mind-set often occupied by Wellens.
Despite the numerical advantage in favour of Hull, the game remained open. Drinkwater had perhaps the most potent opportunity to extend Leicester’s lead in the 76th minute when his brilliant solo effort didn’t get the finish it deserved. Hull also squandered a golden opportunity, as ex-Leicester and Liverpool defender Jack Hobbs rattled the crossbar with a powerful header after latching onto an inswinging Andy Dawson corner.
Despite both teams efforts the game remained goalless through the second half, with Leicester seeing the game out in an orderly and well executed manner.
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Peltier, St.Ledger, Morgan, Konchesky, Marshall (Kennedy 85′), Drinkwater, Danns (sent off 56′), Dyer, Beckford, Nugent (Bamba 66′)
Hull City: Mannone, Rosenior, Dawson, Chester, Hobbs, McKenna, Stewart, Evans (McLean), Cairney (Brady 58′), Fryatt, King (Cullen 78′)
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