Manchester City 2-5 Leicester: 3 things we learned

The Importance of penalties

The 2019/20 season will not only be remembered for two very contrasting runs of form, but also for some of the worst penalty decisions in Leicester’s history (yes i include Erland Johnsens dive in that). The handballs that were not given last season were truly baffling to say the least – head to my twitter account if you don’t believe me @LCFC1884VERDICT – and played a crucial part in Leicester’s spectacular collapse.

Likewise Manchester United were afforded some incredibly fortunate penalty decisions that contributed massively towards their own spectacular rise to the Champions League places. This isn’t me crying over spilt milk – well, not entirely – but it does serve to demonstrate how important penalties are in football. How many times have you said in the past, “we could have had three penalties today”

and then not even be given one. Today all three penalties were fouls, no complaints. Michael Oliver gave them, they were checked by VAR and all stood. This isn’t fortune, this is a team getting what they deserve.

Unlike last season when Kevin De Bruyne literally slapped the ball with his hands at the King Power last season and then proceeded to get a penalty later on for the exact same thing. Add this to Ederson double punching Iheanacho in the head in the same game causing him concussion. No penalties were given to Leicester that night in a defeat, who knows what could have happened?!?

Which is really the point, penalties are being given out frequently already this season, Leicester already have five with only three games played. If penalties were given when they should have been last season, Leicester City would very likely have had more points towards Champions League qualification and may have got to their first cup final for twenty years.

Penalties are crucial: they can be the difference between a 2-2 draw and a 5-2 win, the difference between 7 points or 9, the difference between 6th place or top of the league.