Leicester 0-2 Crystal Palace: Foxes caught in drop zone after sixth straight defeat as Eagles climb above Manchester United into 14th after targets from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marc Guehi
- Jean-Phillipe Mateta’s second half strike opened the scoring for the visitors
- Defeat for the Foxes keeps Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men in the relegation zone
- LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! Why Manchester United may have to sell Kobbie Mainoo or Alejandro Garnacho
It takes more than a few hotshot lawyers to keep a team as weak as Leicester in the Premier League.
The Foxes escaped a possible points deduction last summer even though the authorities were adamant they had broken spending rules. And they managed to go unpunished again – for now at least – when the League delivered their verdict this week on the club’s latest set of accounts.
Yet none of that matters if you cannot take chances or defend properly and boss Ruud van Nistelrooy admitted: ‘It’s the lowest we’ve felt during my time here. We have to bring hope back and turn this negative cycle around.’
Leicester missed their opportunities and second-half goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marc Guehi made it six away games unbeaten for Crystal Palace.
Leicester remain in the bottom three after six league defeats in a row under Ruud van Nistelrooy. No wonder there were boos at full-time.
‘We can’t keep talking about performances,’ added Van Nistelrooy. ‘Six without a win is not good enough. We need a win soon.’
Second-half goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marc Guehi secured victory for Palace
Leicester remain in the bottom three after six league defeats in a row under Ruud van Nistelrooy
Jean-Phillipe Mateta broke the deadlock and set Palace on their way to a win on the road
Jamie Vardy could have scored twice in the opening three minutes, first when he failed to make proper contact with Facundo Buonanotte’s low cross and then with a volley on the run that flew just wide.
Palace missed the best chance of the first half. Victor Kristiansen’s ball hit Daniel Munoz in the face and rebounded to Mateta, who failed even to test Jakub Stolarczyk from an excellent position.
Stephy Mavididi squeezed between Munoz and Will Hughes and turned the ball across goal, where Vardy shanked a difficult chance. At the other end, Hughes fired over shortly after James Justin had gone close with a free-kick.
Palace had looked vulnerable in the first half and Leicester did not make them pay. Sure enough, Ismaila Sarr shrugged off Mavididi and played the ball inside Jannik Vestergaard for Mateta to round Stolarczyk and score.
Mateta was a fraction away from converting Munoz’s cross and Stolarcyzk made a fine save to deny Tyrick Mitchell. Vardy was just off target with a flick from Kristiansen’s cross.
Moments later, Kasey McAteer played in fellow substitute Patson Daka but the shot was rushed and seconds later, Boubakary Soumare struck the bar. Then Vardy put a far-post volley into the crowd.
Those errors were soon punished. Eberechi Eze floated a free-kick to the far post where the unmarked Guehi guided it into the roof of the net.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner said: ‘We are not happy with the performance.
‘We need to do better if we want to win at West Ham on Saturday.’
