The losing run is over and usually that brings a wave of relief. Not so this time for Leicester City. Yes, the victory at Sunderland got them back on track. It was integral they did so with Ipswich and Leeds winning too. Their five-point cushion to third remains intact. There is heart to take from that.
But for those who are nervous that City might yet be reeled in by their rivals and finish in the play-offs, the sleepless nights aren’t over. This wasn’t a performance that would have inspired much confidence.
When City underwhelmed against QPR at the weekend, they did so with a lack of cutting edge in the final third. They got to the right areas, then lacked ideas and quality. At Sunderland, they didn’t even get that far.
They were excellent for the first 15 minutes and ripped Sunderland apart. But after they took the lead, they stopped. The tempo dropped. It was plodding, weary football. They didn’t play the Enzo Maresca way.
They had five shots in the first 15 minutes and then just five in the rest of the match, including only one in the second half, a speculative effort from 25 yards. They completed the fewest number of progressive passes and passes into the final third of any Championship match they’ve played this season.
They let a Sunderland team without their best players, without a permanent manager, and on a longer losing run take charge. They were perhaps fortunate that when Hamza Choudhury put his hand on Dan Ballard’s shoulder in added time, the referee waved away the penalty appeals. No wonder Maresca said it was the “worst” of his side’s recent showings.
