adminGary Rowett made a single change to his starting XI, with Jordan James missing out and Divine Mukasa taking his place in midfield. On paper, it was his strongest available team given recent struggles.
The match started ideally for Leicester. Patson Daka capitalized on a poor back-pass from a Preston defender to score an early opener, leaving goalkeeper Daniel Iversen stranded. Daka’s pace, awareness, and predatory instincts were on full display.
But Leicester’s familiar problems quickly resurfaced. Sloppy positioning and weak set-piece organization allowed Preston to hit back.
Andrew Moran’s strike in the 38th minute came after Abdul Fatawu’s sideways pass was intercepted a simple mistake that led to a shock equalizer.
Then, just seven minutes later, Ben Whiteman scored from a corner to give Preston a 2-1 lead at halftime. Leicester players appeared static, watching instead of contesting the set-piece a glaring display of poor leadership and coordination.
The second half saw Leicester fight back. Oliver Skipp came close in the 63rd minute, but Iversen was equal to his effort. Substitutions in the 80th minute brought Ben Nelson on for Jamaal Lascelles and Bobby De Cordova-Reid on for Skipp.
Daka struck again soon after, netting his second goal to salvage a point. Leicester pressed late, but Preston held firm, and the game ended in a draw.
Key Positives:
Patson Daka’s two goals and relentless energy.
Caleb Okoli’s commanding defensive display.
Ricardo Pereira showing glimpses of past form.
Dominance in possession and chance creation.
Key Negatives:
Poor substitution decisions, including nearly taking off Daka before his second goal.
Defensive lapses and sloppy passing.
Isolated midfield, with Skipp and Winks lacking support due to Mukasa’s underwhelming performance.
Player Ratings (Leicester City):
Jakub Stolarczyk – 5
Ricardo Pereira – 7
Caleb Okoli – 8
Jamaal Lascelles – 5
Luke Thomas – 5
Harry Winks – 5
Divine Mukasa – 4
Oliver Skipp – 5
Patson Daka – 8
Stephy Mavididi – 5
Abdul Fatawu – 4
Substitutes: De Cordova-Reid, Jordan Ayew, Ben Nelson, Jeremy Monga, Jannik Vestergaard
Man of the Match: Patson Daka
The main talking point remains Jakub Stolarczyk’s performance, particularly on Preston’s second goal. Ben Whiteman’s header from a corner sailed over him and into the far post, giving Preston a 2-1 lead.
Fans questioned his positioning, awareness, and command of the box in a game Leicester desperately needed to win.
While the first goal (Moran’s strike) wasn’t entirely his fault, critics argue that Stolarczyk failed to assert authority on set-pieces and didn’t organize the defense when it mattered most. These costly lapses left supporters frustrated, with many now calling for him to be dropped, despite some good saves later in the match.
Leicester now turns their attention to Sheffield Wednesday on April 6th, a must-win fixture if they hope to climb out of the relegation zone.
Abdulhafiz Teslim
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