Season Review: Three Wins From Four In August
A fine summer transfer window saw City sign Jonny Evans, James Maddison, Ricardo Pereira, Danny Ward, Rachid Ghezzal, Filip Benković and Çağlar Söyüncü ahead of their season-opener against the Red Devils.
Despite losing out against Man Utd during the 2018/19 curtain raiser, Leicester recovered well to beat Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton in the Premier League and Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup Second Round.
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 1
Friday 10 August, 2018
Premier League
Old Trafford
Goals: Pogba pen 3, Shaw 83; Vardy 90+2
Claude Puel handed maiden starts to attacker James Maddison and winger Ricardo Pereira, while centre-back Harry Maguire played from the off against José Mourinho’s 20-time English champions.
A difficult start saw the hosts win a penalty inside two minutes, as Alexis Sanchez’s effort struck the arm of Daniel Amartey in the City area. Paul Pogba stepped up and sent the ball into the top corner to make it 1-0 a minute later.
Following that opener, City dominated and first went close through Wilfred Ndidi’s deflected strike, before Kelechi Iheanacho dragged wide from inside the box after good work from Demarai Gray.
Then, debutant Maddison forced a stunning stop out of David De Gea, as the Foxes No.10’s powerful drive was turned away in sensational fashion by the Spanish ‘keeper.
After the break, Mourinho’s side gained a foothold in the game and it became a much tighter affair. Puel recognised that Leicester needed fresh legs and the Frenchman turned to talisman Jamie Vardy and winger Rachid Ghezzal.
City Fall To Day One Defeat In Manchester
Watch the goals from Leicester City's 2018/19 Premier League opener at Old Trafford against Manchester United.
It was Vardy who would muster up City’s next major opportunity. The England international outmuscled Luke Shaw and delivered into Gray, whose close-range shot fell into the arms of De Gea.
At the other end, it was Kasper Schmeichel’s turn to make a brilliant save, as he somehow flicked substitute Romelu Lukaku’s low shot onto the top of the net with around 10 minutes to play.
For all of City’s promising play, they fell two goals behind on 83 minutes. Juan Mata picked out Shaw at the back post and the left-back set himself before firing into the back of the net.
However, Puel’s side did not give up and halved the deficit in injury time. Ricardo’s cross hit the bottom of the post and Vardy was there to head home the loose ball in typically instinctive fashion.
The Foxes had a chance to claim a point at the death, but Schmeichel, up for the corner, flicked Ben Chilwell’s delivery wide.
Leicester City 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
Saturday 18 August, 2018
Premier League
King Power Stadium
Goals: Doherty o.g. 29, Maddison 45
Following the previous weekend’s opener against Manchester United, Claude Puel made four changes to his starting XI, as Jonny Evans made his maiden appearance for the Foxes and James Maddison and Ricardo Pereira were both handed home debuts.
Wolves started well as midfielder João Moutinho sent a long-range drive onto the crossbar with just three minutes on the clock, before Demarai Gray was denied by a fine sliding challenge from Ryan Bennett.
The visitors hit the woodwork for a second time on 21 minutes through striker Raúl Jiménez, whose effort hit Kasper Schmeichel’s right-hand post, while at the other end, Marc Albrighton and Wilfred Ndidi both had strikes blocked.
In the next phase of play, the Foxes took the lead, with Albrighton again involved. The winger delivered in from the right flank and his deflected cross was turned into the back of the net by Matt Doherty.
Goals: Leicester City 2 Wolves 0
Enjoy the goals from King Power Stadium as the Foxes defeated Wolves in their first home outing of the 2018/19 season.
City’s opener provided them with a huge boost as they began to dominate towards the end of the first half. With a minute to play, Ricardo burst from his right-back position and offloaded the ball to Maddison, who curled into the bottom corner to mark his home debut with a goal.
After the break, Gray again went close as his low drive flew wide, while Schmeichel was on hand to deny striker Raúl Jiménez with his legs at the front post.
Following a challenge on Doherty, Jamie Vardy was shown a straight red card on 66 minutes and while Wolves threatened to get back into the game, City stood strong.
Midfielder Jonny struck the post and Rúben Neves forced Schmeichel into a good save, while Ben Chilwell saw his low shot turned away by Rui Patricio and Ndidi dragged wide in injury time.
Southampton 1 Leicester City 2
Saturday 25 August, 2018
Premier League
St. Mary’s Stadium
Goals: Bertrand 52; Gray 56, Maguire 90+2
For the clash on the south coast, Claude Puel made three changes to the side that beat Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, as Wes Morgan, Daniel Amartey and Kelechi Iheanacho all started the game.
After a lively opening period, stopper Kasper Schmeichel had to make the first save of the game, denying Mohamed Elyounoussi at the front post on 17 minutes.
Towering Saints centre-back Jannik Vestergaard then headed wide, while at the other end, Demarai Gray couldn’t quite turn Ben Chilwell’s deflected cross into the back of the net.
Schmeichel pulled off another fine stop just before the break as Danny Ings turned in the area before his low strike was flicked away by the Denmark international.
Goals: Southampton 1 Leicester City 2
Enjoy the goals from Leicester City's victory away at Southampton in the Premier League in 2018/19.
The hosts took the lead seven minutes into the second period, as the ball fell to Ryan Bertrand 20 yards from goal. The left-back’s well-struck effort found the top corner to give Southampton a 1-0 lead.
City pressed for an equaliser and got one four minutes later, when after some good work from Iheanacho, Gray slammed home from inside the area.
With 13 minutes to play, the Saints went down to 10 men as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was shown a second yellow card for simulation inside the Leicester box.
Sensing an opportunity to win the game, Chilwell raced forward down the left wing and forced Southampton ‘keeper Alex McCarthy into a good stop at the front post.
However, City did not give up, as Maguire burst forward and unleashed a low drive from the edge of the box. The ball hit the back of the net and the England international raced over to the Blue Army to celebrate his winner.
Leicester City 4 Fleetwood Town 0
Tuesday 28 August, 2018
Carabao Cup Second Round
King Power Stadium
Goals: Fuchs 8, Iborra 39, Iheanacho 46, Ghezzal 71
Stunners from Christian Fuchs and Rachid Ghezzal, on his full debut, fell either side of well-taken efforts from Vicente Iborra and Kelechi Iheanacho on a comfortable night for the Foxes.
City boss Claude Puel elected to make eight changes from the 2-1 win at Southampton, with Danny Ward and Ghezzal handed maiden starts for the Club.
The visitors from Sky Bet League 1 started in industrious fashion, forcing an early corner and Ward was called upon to make a smart stop to deny Harrison Biggins from 20 yards out.
However, Leicester’s supremacy manifested itself after just eight minutes as Fuchs, starting his first fixture of the season, hit a brilliant half-volley into the far corner.
It fell perfectly for the Austrian on the angle of the 18-yard box to fire it past Paul Jones in the Fleetwood net, setting City up nicely to express themselves in the final third.
Goals: Leicester City 4 Fleetwood Town 0
Check out all of the goals from Leicester City's comprehensive victory over Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup Second Round.
Leicester’s football intelligence was on show for everybody to see as Puel’s men passed the ball assuredly with Adrien Silva and Marc Albrighton particularly impressing in midfield.
With six minutes until the interval, Fuchs continued to excel with an inch-perfect cross for Iborra, who duly obliged to nod it beyond Jones and double City’s lead.
Within seconds of the restart, the Foxes made it three. Albrighton’s lofted pass over the visiting backline landed at Iheanacho’s feet and the Nigerian slotted it into the bottom corner.
Ghezzal, meanwhile, was earning plaudits with an enterprising brand of football on the flanks and his reward came in the 71st minute with a moment of individual brilliance.
The Algerian cut inside his man on the right, played a smart one-two with Silva, before curling it into the very top corner to round off a hugely satisfying evening for Puel’s dominant hosts.
August in numbers:
LCFC goals: 9
Top scorer: Vardy, Maddison, Gray, Maguire, Fuchs, Iborra, Iheanacho, Ghezzal (1 goal)
Premier League standing: 7th