Leicester 1-2 Middlesbrough: Foxes Player Ratings

Leicester City suffered their fifth defeat of the season after a lackluster performance, succumbing 2-1 to a disciplined Middlesbrough side. The Foxes missed two significant chances in the first 20 minutes, with Jannik Vestergaard and Patson Daka failing to convert. Shortly after, Finn Azaz capitalized on a cutback to give the visitors the lead. Middlesbrough extended their advantage when a loose pass from Stephy Mavididi was intercepted and calmly finished by Samuel Silvera, leaving Leicester trailing by two goals for the first time this season.

In the second half, Leicester dominated possession as they sought a route back into the game. However, numerous misplaced passes and resilient defending from Boro thwarted their efforts.

The match sparked to life in the final 15 minutes, with Jamie Vardy and Vestergaard squandering gilt-edged opportunities. Nonetheless, Vardy salvaged some hope for the home side with a fine finish from Tom Cannon's exquisite through ball, reducing the deficit.

Despite their efforts, Leicester fell to their third home defeat of the season. Enzo Maresca's men remain at the top of the table with a nine-point cushion, but face a daunting task against a rampant Leeds United side in their next fixture.

Player Ratings:

Mads Hermansen - 6: Could do nothing about the two goals. Passed the ball accurately but there was a moment of indecision when he hesitated to claim a through ball, presenting a potential threat.

Ricardo Pereira - 6: Was excellent in the first period, smartly chipping to Dennis Praet in the opposition box and making a crucial interception to stop a second Middlesbrough goal. However, his touches became heavier as the game progressed.

Wout Faes - 5: Found himself out of position for Middlesbrough's opening goal but regained composure for the remainder of the match. Despite frequent touches, he failed to make a significant impact with the ball.

Jannik Vestergaard - 5: Squandered two clear-cut chances but was otherwise heavily involved in the game, showcasing his passing ability and occasionally venturing forward.

James Justin - 5: Seemed a bit rusty. Drove forward with the ball but didn’t seem to be on the same wavelength as his teammates.

Harry Winks - 6: His distribution was accurate as usual and while he was heavily involved, he couldn’t create any chances for his team.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall - 5: Put a delightful ball in the box which Vestergaard should have converted in the first half. Tried hard in the second half but nothing seemed to be going his way, leading to his substitution on the hour mark.

Dennis Praet - 7: Made some excellent runs in the first half and showed good awareness in the final third. He looked like the Foxes’ best chance of getting back into the game, putting in some dangerous crosses in the box.

Stephy Mavididi - 4:  Failed to make an impact in the opposition box and contributed to Middlesbrough's second goal with a careless pass. A forgettable performance for the winger.

Patson Daka - 4: Missed a glaring opportunity in the early stages of the game and struggled to showcase his pace against Middlesbrough's deep-lying defense.

Abdul Fatawu - 6: Had a good first half, setting up Daka with a good cross and generally being a nuisance for the opposition defense. Saw a lot of the ball in the first fifteen minutes of the second half but most of his crosses were inaccurate.

Substitutes:

Tom Cannon - 7: Came in for Mavididi at half time but looked isolated and a bit uncomfortable as the left winger. Came to life in the last 15 minutes, setting up Vestergaard’s missed chance before sending Jamie Vardy through with a wonderful first-time through ball for Leicester’s sole goal of the game.

Yunus Akgun - 5: Brought in for Fatawu in the 58th minute, he was practically invisible and failed to make an impact. His corners were quite tame as well.

Kasey McAteer - 6: His first few touches were loose as he tried hard to create something for the Foxes. Sent in a lowly cross which should have been converted by Vardy.

Jamie Vardy - 6: Was marked out of the game for the majority of the time he was on the pitch. Uncharacteristically skied a good chance from four yards off but in typical Jamie Vardy fashion responded a few minutes later with a good finish to give the home side some hope.