Arsenal 2-0 Leicester: Three things we learned in defeat

After a rise in results in recent weeks, Leicester City’s campaign of underperformance returned with a dismal display away at the Emirates Stadium, ending in a comfortable 2-0 win for the hosts, Arsenal.

Despite signs of improvement in recent matches, there was an air of familiarity to Brendan Rodgers’ side, even with an uncharacteristic XI for the trip to London; Nampalys Mendy started as the deepest-midfielder, James Maddison replaced Youri Tielemans, and Kelechi Iheanacho led the line ahead of Patson Daka. Did the changes disrupt the rhythm? I’m unsure, but there are a few things I noticed during the game that I’d like to write about.

The difference between Nampalys Mendy and Wilfred Ndidi, and why we missed the latter

Perhaps the biggest change in the starting XI was in the defensive-midfield position. After not starting a single Premier League game this campaign, Nampalys Mendy was selected to play at the base of the midfield — with Wilfred Ndidi among a few crucial players who were rested, as Brendan Rodgers juggles both the Premier League and the UEFA Conference League competitions. The profiles of the two defensive-midfielders are drastically different, with Mendy you have a possession-orientated retainer of the ball, whereas Ndidi’s focus is on reclaiming possession from the opponents.