Leicester City defender James Justin was left frustrated after a number of referee decisions went against the Foxes in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Hull City.
City came from behind on two occasions to come away from the MKM Stadium with a point. Jamie Vardy converted from the spot to cancel out Fabio Carvalho’s opener before scoring immediately after Hull restored their lead in the second half.
The contest was full of questionable decisions throughout by referee Sam Barrott. Hull midfielder Jean Michaël Seri escaped a second yellow card for blocking a Leicester free-kick while there was a shout for another penalty after a foul on Vardy.
Enzo Maresca fumed over the referee’s performance after the game, pointing out four separate decisions. Barrott was also in charge of the Foxes’ Boxing Day draw with Ipswich Town, denying City a penalty for a clear foul on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Defender James Justin was also a frustrated figure in an interview with BBC Radio Leicester. “It’s a tough one to take for us because we gave everything on the pitch,” he said. “Some things are out of our control and obviously went against us.
“We’ve just got to keep going and keep looking for goals any way we can. We’re doing everything we can, some things, as I said, are out of our control and it’s frustrating because it’s happened a few times and it’s costing us. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.”
He continued: “Big moments [that] don’t go our way, obviously it’s part and parcel of the game but when it happens frequently it’s a difficult pill to swallow. It’s something that we’ve got to just plough on with and keep grinding.
“We came from behind twice today and showed some good resilience. We’ll be looking to take that into next week.
“It’s part of the game but when it happens frequently, it’s hard to get on with. It’s something that we’ve had to deal with this season but at the end of the day, we’ve just got to keep trying and playing our way.”
Justin’s frustration mirrored that of many Leicester fans who felt hard done by the decisions made by the referee. Despite the setbacks, the team showed character by coming from behind twice to salvage a point, demonstrating their resilience and determination to keep pushing forward.
The inconsistent officiating has been a recurring theme for Leicester this season, leading to understandable frustration among players and supporters alike. However, Justin emphasized the importance of remaining focused and continuing to give their all on the pitch, regardless of the challenges they face.
As they look ahead to their next match, Leicester will aim to build on their positive qualities, including their ability to bounce back from adversity, while hoping for fairer officiating in future games.