Leicester City’s Season Review: September

Less than two months after the curtain came down on the elongated 2019/20 season, the Premier League was back. And the shortened summer break had thrown up several questions regarding the unpredictable nature of the campaign ahead.

It began with behind-closed-doors fixtures continuing, which many believed could impact upon the advantage of playing at home. Nevertheless, Leicester were looking to build on a fifth place finish in the top flight, which brought a first foray into the UEFA Europa League. The cup competitions had also brought runs to the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and Emirates FA Cup respectively. 

Off the pitch, the Club's transfer business had been conducted to great acclaim. Highly-rated young defender Wesley Fofana, capped by France at Under-21s level, made the move from Saint-Étienne, while AS Roma and Turkey international winger Cengiz Under also arrived at King Power Stadium on a season-long loan in mid-September.

It was another summer signing, however, who would have a big part to play on the opening day of the season...

The Foxes travelled to newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion on Sunday 13 September, 2020 and got off to the perfect start sporting the Club’s new maroon away strip.

Versatile full-back Timothy Castagne, brought straight into the starting XI on debut, opened the scoring, before a brace of Jamie Vardy penalties ensured City would be taking all three points back home.  

The following week, City’s first home fixture, against Burnley, also ended in victory, although the Clarets took the lead on 10 minutes via Chris Wood’s controlled finish.

Harvey Barnes, who would go on to enjoy an impressive campaign before injury curtailed his season, equalised soon after, guiding the ball into the bottom corner after being set up by Belgian international Castagne.

Ex-Atalanta defender Castagne created another goal when his cross deflected in off Erik Pieters, handing Leicester the lead for the first time early in the second half. James Justin then ghosted into the box to meet Ayoze Pérez’s cut back for number three on the hour mark, extending the advantage.

Jimmy Dunne pulled a goal back, heading in Dwight McNeil’s free-kick for the visitors, who threatened a late comeback, before Barnes was involved again, shifting the ball across for Dennis Praet to fire home an unstoppable drive and wrap up another good day at the office.

Next up, a Carabao Cup Third Round exit at the hands of Arsenal on Filbert Way preceded one of the performances and results of the season. Travelling away to Manchester City, few could have anticipated or predicted what would follow.

Former Fox Riyad Mahrez got the hosts off to the perfect start with a thunderbolt after four minutes, but once Vardy converted his third spot-kick of the season, Brendan Rodgers’ side began to take control of the game.

For the equaliser, Barnes made a darting run towards the box and fed Leicester’s talisman, who was pulled back by Kyle Walker and Michael Oliver instantly pointed to the spot. It was an emphatic penalty from Vardy, who smashed the ball well beyond Ederson’s reach and into the roof of the net.

Leicester’s second was beautifully crafted. Castagne, so influential in those early weeks of the season before picking up an injury, exchanged a one-two with Youri Tielemans before hitting the byline and crossing for Vardy, who made a smart near-post run to evade his marker Eric García.

The forward then managed to flick the ball in, clipping it over the diving City ‘keeper and crucially giving the Foxes a lead. And it would be a lead they extended when García bundled into the back of Vardy just inside the penalty box.

The referee had no option but to award a second Leicester spot-kick, which the former England international duly tucked away once more, coolly slotting it into the bottom corner for his hat-trick. Vardy was now an early front runner for the Premier League’s Golden Boot having won the award in 2019/20, sitting on five goals alongside Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The goal of the game was saved for James Maddison, who, after coming on as a substitute, found space to run into before unleashing an unstoppable curling effort that sailed over Ederson and into the top corner.

The hosts did pull one back when Nathan Aké was able to guide Mahrez’s corner past Kasper Schmeichel, before, incredibly, Leicester won a third penalty of the afternoon.

This time it was Benjamin Mendy who clipped Maddison just inside the area after the Foxes No.10 had made a smart turn to move into the box. With Vardy now off the pitch, it was up to Tielemans to put the finishing touch on an outstanding Leicester City performance.

The Belgian midfielder made no mistake, sending Ederson the wrong way and firing home to make it 5-2 to the visiting Foxes. Maximum points ensured Leicester secured three wins from three at the start of a top-flight season for the first time in the Club’s history.

With 12 goals scored across those three fixtures and just four conceded, there was plenty of cause for optimism around King Power Stadium and that would continue during October as Rodgers' men recorded two memorable European victories and a historic league victory on their travels.