Leicester City lost 3-1 away at Coventry City in the Championship this afternoon.
Leicester City played their first away league fixture of the year today, doing so on the back of an 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
In fact, Leicester City’s last defeat on the road (a 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough back in November) is their only away loss in the Championship this season.
The Foxes started the day with a 10-point lead over Ipswich Town in 2nd whilst Coventry City started in 9th after a run of one defeat in 11 in the Championship.
The two teams met on the opening day of the season and it was Enzo Maresca‘s Leicester who won 2-1 on the day, but it was the Sky Blues who won 2-1 today.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall put Leicester in front from the penalty spot before the break, but then Issahaku Fatawu was shown a straight red just moments later.
Callum O’Hare levelled things in the 79th minute before Milan van Ewijk put the home team ahead just before full-time, then O’Hare bagged a third for Coventry at the death.
Rob Tanner blasts Issahaku Fatawu over Coventry City sending off
Fatawu, 19, joined on loan from Sporting CP in the summer.
He’s been a regular feature for the Foxes so far this season, making his 23rd Championship appearance of the season today, with two goals and seven assists to his name so far.
He’s now started the last eight league games for the Foxes but perhaps showed a lack of experience today, going hard into a 50/50 with Coventry’s Jake Bidwell.
Referee Darren England showed no hesitation in showing Fatawu a red card; a decision which has been met with mixed reaction on social media, but which The Athletic’s Leicester City reporter Rob Tanner believes was justified.
He posted on X:
Fatawu suspension coincides with Kasey McAteer’s Leicester City return
Whether or not Maresca and Leicester City choose to overturn Fatawu’s red card remains to be seen; he did go in hard and it’s easy to see why England sent him off, despite whether or not Fatawu actually made any dangerous contact with Bidwell.
But as of now, Fatawu faces a three-game suspension and it opens up a spot in the XI.
Maresca won’t change his system and so expect someone to have to come in as a direct replacement, with that someone potentially being Kasey McAteer.
The 22-year-old came off the bench today after missing more than a month through injury, marking his 13th Championship appearance of the campaign.
After his blistering start to the season which saw him score four goals in the opening weeks of the campaign, he’s since lost his place in the XI to Fatawu, becoming an impact player.
But Fatawu’s absence could now give McAteer a chance to re-stake his claim under Maresca, who’ll be eager for the young attacker to step up and rediscover his best form in the second half of this season.
Up next for the Foxes is a huge game against Ipswich Town at the King Power.