Prospect of a cup run
Whilst the priority must be the league, a good cup run would be a welcome boost in a difficult season for the Foxes. Since winning the FA Cup in 2001, Leicester have consistently got past the third round stage, reaching the fifth round in 2023 (losing to Blackburn 2-1) and the quarter final in 2024 (losing 4-2 to Chelsea). A similar run this year would keep the season alive given that promotion is looking unlikely.
Leicester, though, have not been immune from embarrassing defeats against lower league opponents. Claud Puel paid with his job early in 2019 following a dreadful 2-1 defeat against League Two Newport County and in 1980, the Foxes were knocked out at the third-round stage by non-league Harlow Town after a replay. Perhaps the most embarrassing defeat occurred in 2001 when lowly third tier side Wycombe Wanderers arrived at Filbert Street so short of personnel that they had to advertise on teletext for players. Inevitably, it was the player recruited after he had answered the advert, Roy Essandoh, who scored an injury time winner.
Avoiding a banana skin
The game against Cheltenham went ahead despite earlier doubts because of the inclement weather. Not surprisingly, Leicester dominated. There was a very noticeable gulf in class even though the Foxes fielded a weakened team with the absence, in particular, of Abdul Fatawu, Ricardo Pereira and Jordan James. Two bits of quality in the first half put the game beyond the Robins. After 23 minutes, a Patson Daka one-two with Stephy Mavididi put the striker in and he converted the chance placing the ball in the corner of the net. Just before half-time, Mavididi picked up the ball on the left and, after a mazy run, finished with an accurate shot.
In the second half, the Robins had more of the ball but created very little. Leicester were content, for the most part, to contain them, although a succession of corners towards the end almost produced a third. All told, it is comforting for Foxes’ fans that their team was much too good for a team sitting two leagues below them in the hierarchy of English football. A clean sheet, the first in 20 games, was an added bonus. On to the fourth round.
The youngsters
The game gave an opportunity to run the rule over Leicester’s youngsters. As expected, Olabade Aluko, Louis Page, and Silko Thomas were given rare starts and Jeremy Monga and Wayna Marcal came on in the second half. None of them let the side down without producing stand-out performances, Page being probably the pick of them. The most impressive were the old stagers. Oliver Skipp bossed the midfield and almost scored with a rasping drive from the edge of the area whilst man of the match Mavididi was a constant threat with one goal and an assist.