EPL Race: Ipswich Town presented with opportunity to reclaim top spot as rivals Leicester falls at Home Park

EPL Race: Ipswich Town presented with opportunity to reclaim top spot as rivals Leicester falls at Home Park

Mustapha Bundu’s 21st-minute breakaway goal separated the teams in Devon and propelled Argyle to 16th in the Sky Bet Championship. The Foxes remain top of the table, tied on points with Ipswich Town but ahead on goal difference. Both the Tractor Boys and Leeds United, who are a point behind in third place, play on Saturday, but City has one game in hand – a match against fourth-place Southampton later this month. While the impact of Tuesday’s defeat at Millwall, a similar tale of anguish, was mitigated by City’s promotion rivals being held to draws, Enzo Maresca’s intention was to widen the distance this time. Patson Daka, James Justin, and Abdul Fatawu returned to the XI as the Italian made three changes.

After only eight minutes, the Foxes had the ball in the net, but the linesman’s flag silenced the jubilation in the away end. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s driving march across the middle created the opportunity. The Academy graduate then threaded the ball through for Daka, who side-footed a solid finish into Michael Cooper’s bottom corner, but it was not enough. The Foxes had made a strong start, testing the home goalie shortly later. This time, Wilfred Ndidi’s cutting through ball opened up the defence, allowing Ricardo Pereira to pierce through and strike. Cooper, however, produced a great stop to disappoint the Championship leaders. Leicester’s exquisite play resulted to another opening on 14 minutes, with Stephy Mavididi fizzing a curler barely wide of the far post from the left-sided angle of the penalty area.

Maresca’s men were heavily in control, yet they fell behind halfway through the first half. Bundu took Adam Forshaw’s low diagonal and carried it into the box, ultimately finding a position in the far bottom corner. Home Park was rocking, and the City had work to do. The rhythm of the game had disrupted, and neither side could generate truthfully. Harry Winks did his best to put Cooper to the test with a long-range effort that was about a foot wide. Bundu also struck from a distance but was unable to keep it down. Forshaw deflected Dewsbury-Hall’s cross on the byline into his own goal, but Cooper read the situation effectively to prevent it from getting City back level. The half-chances continued into the second half, with Dewsbury-Hall firing straight at Cooper at the outset. A huge opportunity landed at the feet of Daka on 55 minutes, though. Dennis Praet, fresh from the bench, did incredibly well to free Fatawu down the right channel and the Ghanian skidded it across goal, only for Daka to scuff his touch and watch the ball bobble wide.

The pressure persisted, with Mavididi’s low drive going wrong before a Praet header flew over the crossbar. When Praet chested the ball down in the box, Daka had another chance to score, but his half-volley went wide of Cooper’s near post. That would be the Zambian’s last appearance, with Jamie Vardy taking his place. Leicester were forced to sit on the fringe of the Plymouth box, but in the 74th minute, Wout Faes rushed forward. The Belgian’s cross was intended for Dewsbury-Hall, but it fell at Mavididi’s feet instead. His first-time shot, however, was too insignificant to concern the Pilgrims’ goalkeeper. Vardy got a sniff with only two minutes of regular time remaining after Mavididi’s brilliant release. Cooper was there again  though, to make the stop. Jannik Vestergaard headed a Dewsbury-Hall corner wide in added time too, before Vardy couldn’t reach Mavididi’s searching cross at the far post. The noisy locals sang of staying up at full-time. Leicester’s mission to go up needs more work, they now have a full week to prepare for West Bromwich Albion at home

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