Narrow Defeat By Arsenal For City's Under-23s
The Gunners opened the scoring on 20 minutes through Tobi Omole and, while Callum Wright levelled 10 minutes later, a second half penalty from Robbie Burton confirmed Leicester's first defeat in five.
There were five new faces in City’s line-up following last week’s 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion with Eldin Jakupović, Çağlar Söyüncü, Yohan Benalouane, Hamza Choudhury and Fousseni Diabaté coming into the side to tackle Freddie Ljungberg’s visitors.
After a subdued opening 20 minutes, however, the Gunners took the lead when Burton played a corner short to Trae Coyle before finding Omole unmarked in City’s box.
The 18-year-old waited on the edge of the box for Burton’s cross to trickle through and picked his spot expertly into Jakupović’s far post to give the Division 1 title holders an early advantage.
City’s first real opening came just before the half-hour when Wright, who scored against Brighton seven days previously, spun on the spot and fired narrowly wide from 30 yards out.
Gunners forward Tyreece John-Jules, meanwhile, broke on the counter immediately after, but Söyüncü, a full Turkey international, did just enough to put him off.
With 15 minutes of the first period remaining, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall found space in the area, dragging it back for Wright to power home his second goal in as many games into Deyan Iliev’s top corner, restoring parity on the scoresheet and swinging momentum back in the hosts’ favour.
Raúl Uche Rubio was introduced for Ryan Loft at the break and the Spaniard threatened almost straight away, latching onto Josh Knight’s cross, but Iliev denied him a third goal of the season.
However, Ljungberg’s visitors regained their lead with 29 minutes to go as Wright was punished for bundling Tolaji Bola to the floor in the box.
Burton, who assisted Arsenal’s opener, stepped up to convert from 12 yards, sending Jakupović to wrong way to neatly arrow it into the bottom right corner.
Within minutes, as City looked to repair the damage done to the scoresheet, Diabaté tried his luck with a free-kick from 25 yards, but it flew inches wide of the visitors' left post.
The Foxes were frustrated by three unsuccessful calls for handball in the Arsenal penalty area which were waved away by the referee as they pressed for an equaliser.
While they battled until the end, it was ultimately a frustrating night for City's youngsters as they missed out on the chance to go top in Division 1.
Who impressed?
Celebrating his 21st birthday, midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who made a cameo for the first team at Wolves in the Carabao Cup, once more cut an assured figure in the middle.
The Academy graduate continues to be an authoritative presence for the Club’s Development Squad and his experience was evident in front of a large Holmes Park crowd.
Where does it leave us?
City remain in fourth place in Premier League 2 Division 1, but it's Everton who top the standings with 14 points following their 2-1 success over West Ham United on Monday.
Coming up
The Club’s youngsters are next in action on Friday evening for their maiden Premier League Cup group stage fixture of the season against Norwich City at Holmes Park (7pm BST kick-off).
The details
City: Jakupović, Knight, Elder, Choudhury (c), Benalouane (Johnson 59), Söyüncü (Ramsay 73), Dewsbury-Hall, King, Loft (Uche Rubio 45), Wright, Diabaté
Subs not used: Davies, Shade
Goal: Wright 30
Attendance: 495