Leicester City manager Steve Cooper was left perplexed by a crucial refereeing decision during his side’s 4-2 defeat to Arsenal, a match in which the scoreline did little justice to the Foxes’ overall performance.
Despite a valiant defensive effort, particularly in the second half, Leicester came away empty-handed, leaving Cooper to rue a key moment that he believes could have changed the game.
Arsenal’s attacking prowess proved difficult for Leicester to contain in the early stages, with the Gunners taking a two-goal lead before half-time.
However, a spirited fightback from the Foxes, led by James Justin’s brace, gave the visitors hope of snatching a point from a game that had looked out of reach.
Mads Hermansen, in goal for Leicester, played a pivotal role, making a series of crucial saves that kept his side in the contest.
Cooper’s decision to keep faith with Justin in the starting line-up, despite recent criticism of the defender’s form, proved to be a masterstroke.
Justin’s two goals sparked Leicester’s revival, but it was ultimately not enough to salvage a result against a Champions League-calibre Arsenal side.
Nevertheless, Leicester’s second-half performance, particularly their defensive organisation, was arguably deserving of at least a point.
Speaking after the match, Cooper reflected on a controversial moment in the build-up to Arsenal’s opening goal, scored by Gabriel Martinelli.
Jamie Vardy appeared to be fouled in the lead-up, a decision Cooper believes could have swayed the outcome had it gone Leicester’s way.
The incident was a source of frustration for the Leicester boss, who was measured in his criticism but made his feelings clear.
“I don’t want refereeing decisions to be the headlines from me, because I’m trying to stand up and be counted for a run of results that we hoped would be better,” Cooper said, per BBC Sport on X (formerly Twitter). “So l don’t want to be seen to be deflecting, but we do feel that Vards was clearly fouled and we also can’t believe that the left-back hasn’t been sent off.”
Cooper’s frustration was understandable. The decision to allow Arsenal’s opener to stand, despite the apparent foul on Vardy, was a turning point in the match.
It made Leicester’s task of overturning Arsenal’s advantage even more challenging, and although they came close to levelling the score, Arsenal’s late goals ensured the home side secured all three points.
Despite the result, there were positives to take from Leicester’s performance. Hermansen’s display between the posts was a standout, with the goalkeeper making a series of key interventions to keep his side in the game.
Justin’s return to form was another bright spot, as the defender, who had been under pressure in the lead-up to the match, delivered an inspired performance with two goals.
However, for Cooper, the challenge now lies in maintaining his players’ morale. Leicester remain winless in the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, and the frustration of coming so close to a result against Arsenal will undoubtedly weigh heavily.
Yet, Cooper must draw on the positives from this display, particularly the resilience shown by his defence, as he looks to build momentum and finally secure that elusive first victory.
Leicester may have lost on the day, but their performance was one to build on, and Cooper will be hoping his side can improve in attack and begin turning strong performances into points in the coming weeks.