Ben Fisher was at the King Power, and here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.
Steve Cooper, not quite so perky, gives Sky his verdict. “It’s self-inflicted … it’s on us … we all have to take responsibility … we made some poor mistakes on the goals … the third goal was a real killer … it’s a setback after winning a few games … we have to accept it … it’s on me … we got punished for the poor giveaways … we gifted them moments … we feel we’re on a good path but this is a setback … especially in the local rivalry … we really have to feel the hurt for the supporters and take it on the chin … we fell short … it’s happened and we have to reflect on it … we have to be very determined to not let that happen again … there will be loads of ups and downs this season …. that’s the nature of the league and where we’re at, trying to reestablish again in the Premier League and it ain’t easy … the last two games were highs … today was a low … how we recover will define where we’ll end up … we’re motivated and determined to put it right.”
Nuno Espírito Santo, smiling warmly, speaks to Sky. “It was a good game … very stable … confident … solid … a lot of talent in front … organisation was good … delighted … it is not about the table … what is more important is to see our fans enjoy and celebrate … they deserve … the table is not important … it is how we progress … this is what we expect … last season was a tough season but it is in the past … now we start a new cycle … the players are really committed … the bond we have is better … it is an amazing job from Chris Wood … it is not just the goals … the hard work … the voice in the dressing room … he deserves this moment … we want to play good football … we want to make our fans enjoy … we have to make it stronger to build on … we have to prepare for West Ham, it will be tough!”
Chris Wood – who now has seven Premier League goals to his name this season, only Erling Haaland (10) has more – speaks to Sky Sports. “It’s a very nice start both for myself and the team … I wouldn’t be anything without my team-mates … I’m not one that can take on four players and put it in the top corner … I rely on the service from my team-mates and they’re delivering, which is great … it’s fantastic … it’s all about accumulating as many points as possible, as soon as possible … the confidence of keeping clean sheets helps so much … consistency is the biggest thing … we want to try to bring strikers back or I’ll be out of a job! … it kind of went out of fashion but Erling has brought it back … it makes it easier for us number nines! … I just want to keep scoring as many as I can … Haaland is a big man to chase!”
Leicester cop for a smattering of boos as the final whistle goes. Some local-derby frustration there. They gave Forest plenty to think about in the first half, but didn’t show up at all for the second. Forest by contrast were excellent in both halves, and thoroughly deserved an ultimately comfortable victory. All of their goals were taken magnificently … and though Leicester were also defensively at fault for all three, let’s take nothing away from a splendid all-round Forest performance. Chris Wood correctly named player of the match, though Elliot Anderson, Callum Hudson-Odoi and captain Ryan Yates should also be mentioned in dispatches. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side celebrate as they go fifth in the Premier League, for an evening at least. The Foxes remain in 14th spot, their two-match winning run coming to an end.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 8 | 12 | 21 |
| 2 | Man City | 8 | 10 | 20 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 8 | 7 | 17 |
| 4 | Aston Villa | 8 | 5 | 17 |
| 5 | Nottm Forest | 9 | 4 | 16 |
| 6 | Brighton | 8 | 4 | 15 |
| 7 | Chelsea | 8 | 7 | 14 |
| 8 | Tottenham Hotspur | 8 | 9 | 13 |
| 9 | Newcastle | 8 | 0 | 12 |
| 10 | Fulham | 8 | 0 | 11 |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 8 | 0 | 11 |
| 12 | Man Utd | 8 | -2 | 11 |
| 13 | Brentford | 8 | -1 | 10 |
| 14 | Leicester | 9 | -4 | 9 |
| 15 | West Ham | 8 | -4 | 8 |
| 16 | Everton | 8 | -6 | 8 |
| 17 | Ipswich | 8 | -10 | 4 |
| 18 | Crystal Palace | 8 | -6 | 3 |
| 19 | Southampton | 8 | -12 | 1 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 8 | -13 | 1 |
FULL TIME: Leicester City 1-3 Nottingham Forest
Forest are deserving winners of this big East Midlands showdown!
90 min +5: Milenkovic is booked for telling it as he sees it to the referee … after his own side won a clock-draining free-kick. A completely pointless booking at this stage.
90 min +3: Aina skittles Justin 25 yards from goal, just to the left of the Forest box. Leicester load the mixer, and Buonanotte sends the free kick in. But it’s easily cleared by Forest, and Soumare is booked for cynically bringing down Awoniyi, who was about to send the visitors away on the counter.
90 min +1: The first of those additional minutes sees Awoniyi lash a shot into the side netting, and mascot-infused patter merchant Jamie Carragher name Chris Wood as the player of the match.
90 min: There will be seven added minutes.
89 min: Ayew is booked for a frustrated clatter into Silva. The resulting free kick is sent in from the right by Sosa, and Yates crashes a header off the right-hand post. He’s flagged offside, correctly so, though in a parallel universe, the Forest defender is now celebrating a hat-trick. The small margins here and there.
88 min: The Forest fans are serenading their former boss Steve Cooper. The verb serenade doing quite a lot of heavy lifting there.
86 min: Fatawu hooks a cross in from the right. Easy for Sels, who has had nothing to do since the break. In fact, according to Sky, Leicester’s only effort on target this evening has been Vardy’s goal. Thing is, they looked pretty good in attack during the first half. Just not enough threat at the sharp end.
85 min: … apart from the ball, that is. Okoli’s poor pass out from the back allows Sosa a shy at goal. He drags it wide left.
84 min: Forest are seeing this game out confidently. Leicester are offering nowt.
82 min: Faes heads a Forest free kick behind for a corner. The set piece is eventually worked back to Sosa, who skies a dismal long-distance effort deep into the stand.
81 min: … so there’ll be no hat-trick for Wood, because the two-goal striker is hooked for Awoniyi. The big man has been brilliant this evening.
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80 min: Williams hares down the left after a long ball. A first-time delivery into the centre would tee up Wood for his hat-trick, but Williams strangely opts to check back instead and the attack peters out.
78 min: Dominguez is booked for a lazy clip on Soumare’s ankle.
77 min: Sosa’s first act is to nearly dribble clear down the inside-left channel. Forest look more likely to score a fourth than Leicester do to reduce their arrears.
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76 min: Another double Forest change. Hudson-Odoi and Elanga make way for Silva and Sosa.
74 min: The corner leads to a game of head tennis. Forest are under a bit of pressure, but Faes clumsily clatters into Dominguez, and the whistle provides relief for the visitors. Faes using up a lot of moral credit in this second half.
73 min: Justin sprays a fine diagonal pass towards Fatawu on the right touchline. Fatawu wins a corner. Winks to send it in.
71 min: Forest respond to Leicester’s double change with one of their own, replacing Anderson and Moreno with Williams and Morato.
69 min: A huge chance to wrap things up once and for all for Forest. A corner sent in from the right. Leicester fail to deal with it, and the ball drops to Yates six yards out. He simply has to score, but somehow blazes over the bar. That’s an astonishing miss.
68 min: Ayew and El Khannouss replace Mavididi and Pereira for Leicester.
67 min: Leicester need something quickly, and Buonanotte does his bit by winning a corner down the left. Fatawu to send it in. It’s hit long. Buonanotte heads it back across goal but only into the arms of Sels, who hasn’t had much to do since the restart.
66 min: Chris Wood now has seven Premier League goals to his name this season. Only Erling Haaland, with ten, has more.
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64 min: Leicester were the better team in the first half as well. But it’s Forest who have been miles better since the restart, and by far the more clinical. Adding injury to insult, Buonanotte takes a flailing hand in the face from Yates.
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62 min: Faes always has a mistake in him, and that one’s really hurt Leicester, this match having suddenly got away from them. The away fans now completely freed from desire.
GOAL! Leicester 1-3 Forest (Wood 60)
It’s Wood again, and this one is straight from the 80s. Sels launches long down the middle. It’s Faes versus Wood on the chase. Faes heads weakly back towards his keeper, with Hermansen in no-man’s land. Wood heads the dropping ball over the keeper and into the unguarded net. Yet another defensive nightmare from Leicester’s point of view; yet another fine finish by Wood!
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58 min: Aina advances down the right again … and once more is dragged back by a cynical hand. It’s Winks this time, and he goes into the book.
57 min: The Forest fans are currently in party mode. You know soccer’s song du jour by now.
56 min: … and to illustrate that, Hudson-Odoi advances quickly down the inside-left channel, opens his body, and creams a curling sidefooter around Hermansen and off the base of the right-hand post. Anderson sends the rebound inches wide left. Leicester are suddenly holding on a bit here.
55 min: Aina crosses from the right. The ball drops at the feet of Anderson, who pearls a shot goalwards from the edge of the box … but it’s blocked and cleared. Forest come again, though, Hudson-Odoi crossing long from the left. Elanga only just misses out at the far stick. Forest are looking dangerous every time they attack.
53 min: Buonanotte and Anderson both go down in an accidental collision. Thankfully both get back up after a fashion. We play on.
51 min: There was a small tug on Vardy, it’s true, but the striker got his feet in a tangle before going over, and that was never going to be awarded. Buonanotte blasts over from distance in frustration.
50 min: Mavididi pings a pass down the inside-left channel in the hope of releasing Vardy into the box. It’s a bit overhit and Sels claims, though Vardy goes over, claiming to have been clipped by Milenkovic. He wants a penalty, but the ref’s not interested, and neither is VAR.
49 min: That was an absolute belter by Wood. It was never going to end 1-1.
GOAL! Leicester 1-2 Forest (Wood 47)
This is such a simple goal from Forest’s point of view. Anderson picks up possession on the left and rolls infield for Wood, who has his back to goal on the penalty spot. Wood spins and dispatches a glorious shot into the bottom right. A delightful finish! But another possession cock-up on the part of Leicester, with Winks and Fatawu confusing each other to allow Forest to begin their attack.
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46 min: Mavididi is booked for a cynical tug on the in-flight Aina’s shirt.
Leicester get the second half started. No changes.
Half-time entertainment. Having mentioned former Leicester and Forest boss Matt Gillies in the preamble, I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t remind you of this typically lovely piece from our old pal Rob Bagchi. Enjoy, enjoy.
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HALF TIME: Leicester City 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Leicester have been the better side, but that’s not to talk Forest down. Both teams have shown plenty of attacking ambition and it’s been an entertaining end-to-end game. More please!
45 min +2: Mavididi cuts in from the left and bends one towards the bottom-right corner. Just wide, though Sels had it covered.
45 min +1: Buonanotte bombs down the middle and dinks a pass wide right for Vardy, whose cutback finds Fatawu, on the edge of the box. Fatawu can’t get the ball under control for a shot. Shame, because that was a fine flowing move.
45 min: There will be two additional first-half minutes.
44 min: Buonanotte jinks his way down the left and cuts back for Mavididi, who can’t turn the ball goalwards. Another attractive attack.
43 min: Mavididi tries to release Vardy down the inside left with a cute twirl and backflick. Not quite, but full marks for artistic ambition.
41 min: Moreno is booked for clattering Fatawu out on the right wing. Winks tries to wedge the free kick towards Vardy in the box, but his accuracy is way off this time.
40 min: Winks hits the corner long from the left. Sels comes off his line; he flaps and misses. Faes mistimes his effort to head the ball at the far stick; it comes off his back and then off Aina, but Leicester don’t get another corner. Probably best that everyone forgets all about this, players, officials, the lot. We’ll say no more about it.
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39 min: Buonanotte finds some space down the inside-right channel but can’t find anyone with his cutback. Forest fail to clear their lines properly, and Fatawu is able to try again from the same flank. His deep cross is steered out at the far post by Moreno for a corner.
37 min: Nothing comes of the corner. “A very open and attractive game, this, with both sides looking to attack (for now at least),” notes Michael Cosgrove. “Add to that the classic blue vs red shirts against a well-kept green pitch and I’m a happy little bunny.”
36 min: Elanga witlessly bashes the free kick straight into the wall. But the rebound’s worked back to Hudson-Odoi, who pearls a shot towards the right-hand side of goal. Shades of his winner at Anfield. But Hermansen is behind it all the way and turns it around the post.
35 min: Elanga bursts down the middle with plenty of space in front of him. He’s got an opportunity to send Hudson-Odoi clear to his left, but overcooks the pass, and the ball clanks out for a goal kick. But Pereira had also clipped Elanga from behind, and Forest get the free kick, 25 yards out in a central position. Dangerous. Pereira goes into the book, too.
33 min: Faes floats a long pass down the inside-left channel. Ndidi telescopes a leg in the hope of bringing the ball out of the sky. He can’t connect, and the ball sails out for a goal kick. But had Ndidi managed to complete his task – and he wasn’t far away from doing so – he’d have had a free whack from just inside the box. None too easy, and it would have been a peach of a goal, to be fair. Ndidi raises his arm in acknowledgement.
31 min: Elanga and Anderson both make their presence felt down the Forest right. Both take a whack at goal; the former’s effort is blocked, the latter’s loops harmlessly wide and high.
30 min: Anderson tries a curler towards the top-right corner from the edge of the Leicester box. Blocked. This surely isn’t going to end 1-1. This won’t end 1-1.
28 min: Elanga drives hard down the right and hits a low shot-cum-cross that Hermansen diverts clear with a strong arm. Leicester immediately counter, and Buonanotte releases Fatawu into space down the right. Fatawu has Buonanotte and Vardy in the middle, but misreads the situation completely and plays a pass down the inside-right channel to nobody whatsoever. Sels claims. This is breathless.
27 min: Winks looks for the top-right corner from distance. The shot’s not a patch on his work for the equaliser. Goal kick.
26 min: How on earth did that stay out? This is great fun.
25 min: … the ball drops to Murillo, ten yards out. He attempts to prod through a crowded box. The ball breaks right to Dominguez, free on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. He must score … and he shoots hard … but Hermansen spreads himself, star-jumping Peter Schmeichel style, to make a sensational stop with his right leg!
24 min: Now it’s Forest’s turn to respond to a setback, and Elanga and Aina combine down the right to win a corner. And from that …
GOAL! Leicester 1-1 Forest (Vardy 23)
It hasn’t taken long for the hosts to fashion an equaliser! Winks drives down the inside-left channel. He slips a pass wide left to Mavididi, who returns it down the channel. Winks whips a low cross into the mixer. Vardy sticks out a leg and guides the ball past Sels. Lovely finish, but what an assist by Winks!
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21 min: If this game were to end now, Forest would go fifth, for one night at least. With this prize in mind, Forest attempt to double their lead, Hudson-Odoi raking a pass down the left for Elanga to chase after. With the hosts light at the back, Elanga crosses deep … but Wood has come towards the near post. Chance gone.
20 min: Fatawu wins a corner down the right. Buonanotte, desperate to atone, swings the set piece in, but Forest deal with this one easily enough.
18 min: Three of the most abysmal attempted clearances in short order, there, and my how Leicester have paid the price for them. Pereira, Buonanotte and Justin need to have a long, hard think about what they’ve just done.
GOAL! Leicester 0-1 Forest (Yates 16)
Buonanotte has been impressive in attack … but now he scuffs a clearance. Anderson tries to make space for a shot. His effort is blocked, and then it’s Justin’s turn to almost completely miss his clearance. This is farcical, and the hosts pay, with Yates picking up possession, 25 yards out, and passing a confident shot into the bottom left. Hermansen no chance!
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15 min: Pereira almost completely whiffs a simple clearance, allowing Forest to go on the attack. Aina crosses from the right. Elanga can’t win a header … but he wins a corner soon after. And from that …
14 min: The Foxes are enjoying the lion’s share of possession so far, though they’ve yet to work Sels in the Forest goal. Buonanotte still buzzing around everywhere.
12 min: Buonanotte is pulling all the strings for Leicester, prompting from the centre. The ball’s slipped wide left to Vardy; he crosses for Ndidi, who heads harmlessly over. The roles might have been better reversed there.
10 min: Buonanotte takes it himself and swings it into the six-yard mixer. There’s some pinball before Forest eventually clear their lines.
9 min: Some more space for Buonanotte down the middle. He dribbles hard at the Forest back line before reaching the right-hand edge of the D and shooting. His effort is deflected wide right for Leicester’s first corner.
8 min: Hudson-Odoi is making a proper nuisance of himself on the left flank. His sheer presence is causing Leicester mild angst. Forest are repeatedly looking to find him.
6 min: Elanga swings it in. Milenkovic is shoved over before the ball arrives, and wants a penalty, but the referee shows no interest whatsoever. Milenkovic has a face on.
5 min: Moreno and Hudson-Odoi one-two their way down the left, the former winning the first corner of the evening. Elanga to take.
4 min: Mavididi tries to release Winks down the left but Milenkovic spots the danger and comes across to usher the ball out for a goal kick.
2 min: Another clipping, this time by Fatawu on Hudson-Odoi out on the Forest left. A free kick, and it’s swung in by Elanga to no effect whatsoever. Both teams showing early signs of wanting to get forward, though.
1 min: Buonanotte immediately starts dribbling down the middle and he’s suspiciously clipped from behind by Dominguez. With seconds on the clock, the referee waves play on, because with Buonanotte kind of going nowhere, a big decision to book someone so soon doesn’t seem worth it.
A knee of love and equality is taken … there’s no room for racism … then Forest get the ball rolling. Here we go!
The teams are out. Leicester in blue, Forest in red. This Sunday will be the sixth anniversary of the passing of beloved former Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who has been remembered on the big screen. His seat in the directors’ box will be symbolically draped with a scarf. Additionally, with Remembrance Day upcoming, there’s also a poignant rendition of the Last Post. RIP the fallen.
No pre-match managerial interviews this evening on Sky Sports. It doesn’t feel as though we’ve lost much, though, right? The programme’s been on since 7pm, though, with its centrepiece a race between Leicester mascot Filbert Fox and its Forest counterpart Robin Hood, played this evening by Jamie Carragher. “He’s taken banter too far this time,” observes my wise colleague and picture guru John Windmill. A reminder that this is pay-TV that costs viewers cash money. Also that ITV had the famous 1989 title decider between Liverpool and Arsenal up and running from ident to kick-off within 13 minutes. Things move on, if not necessarily forward.
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Leicester make three changes to their starting XI in the wake of their dramatic 3-2 comeback victory at Southampton last Saturday. Bilal El Khannouss and Oliver Skipp drop to the bench, while Victor Kristiansen is injured. Ricardo Pereira, Harry Winks and Abdul Fatawu step up.
Forest follow up their 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Monday night by making the sum total of zero changes. If it ain’t broke, etc. James Ward-Prowse returns from suspension and takes up a place on the bench, but Morgan Gibbs-White remains injured.
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The teams
Leicester City: Hermansen, Justin, Faes, Okoli, Pereira, Ndidi, Winks, Fatawu, Buonanotte, Mavididi, Vardy.
Subs: Ward, Coady, El Khannous, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Skipp, Soumare, Edouard, Thomas.
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Alex, Yates, Dominguez, Elanga, Anderson, Hudson-Odoi, Wood.
Subs: Carlos Miguel, Morato, Williams, Awoniyi, Toffolo, Ward-Prowse, Silva, Sosa, Boly.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Our Friday night XI 🚨#LEINFO pic.twitter.com/x2kdNS6Yp6
— Leicester City (@LCFC) October 25, 2024
Your Forest XI to face Leicester City ✊ pic.twitter.com/l8l71w0Ln4
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) October 25, 2024
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Preamble
Welcome to our coverage of the Matt Gillies derby. One for the heads there. Steve Cooper’s breaking no new ground by flitting up and down the A46, you see; we could also go with Dave Bassett, Micky Adams, Gary Megson or Martin O’Neill if you’d prefer. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
