Leicester City’s defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday exposed the familiar struggles of a team battling to find form.
Despite facing a Villa side missing key players and underperforming, Leicester managed to unravel themselves in critical moments.
Leon Bailey’s close-range strike in the 76th minute sealed the game, and from that point, there was little confidence that Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side could find an equaliser, despite their spirited efforts throughout the match.
The decisive moment came from a sequence of errors. James Justin had multiple chances to clear the ball or make a simple pass, yet opted for a risky play.
Even his eventual pass to Jordan Ayew, while not poor, put the forward under unnecessary pressure. Ian Maatsen then breezed past Justin with ease, setting up Bailey for the winner.
This marked Leicester’s fifth consecutive defeat, the longest losing streak in the Premier League currently. With the season now past its halfway mark, their opportunities to climb out of the relegation zone are dwindling.
Van Nistelrooy has undoubtedly brought improvements since taking charge. Leicester showed resilience, fighting back to equalise after falling behind early.
Individual displays from Luke Thomas, Boubakary Soumare, and Jannik Vestergaard were commendable.
But recurring mistakes, like Justin’s giveaway, underline why the Foxes remain 19th in the table. Errors from Conor Coady at Crystal Palace, Wout Faes at Brentford, and Danny Ward against Wolves are just a few examples of self-inflicted setbacks this season.
At Villa Park, both goals conceded were preventable. Vestergaard’s headed clearance fell straight to Ross Barkley for Villa’s first goal, while Justin’s costly mistake led to the second.
Van Nistelrooy addressed these errors in his post-match comments, acknowledging their impact but refraining from assigning blame.
“You’ve seen it, I’ve seen it and the players know. So there’s no need to emphasise it,” he said.
“I can’t hold anything against anyone because it was an honest mistake.
“Nobody wanted to give the ball away in such moments, but it’s something you have to learn from because it’s costing you. It would have been a hard fought point away at Villa and a positive. Every week we’re getting closer to converting good performances into results.
“It’s not about blaming and pointing, it’s about handling the situation as a team and clearing away from danger. I don’t hold anything against one of my players.
“I can only praise them for their efforts for the way they played together as a team. It’s a foundation for points. They’re vital to give yourself the rewards.”
BBC Radio Leicester pundit Mike Stowell defended both Vestergaard and Justin, noting they contributed to an otherwise solid defensive effort.
However, Justin has faced increasing scrutiny, particularly after a viral video circulated showing 19 goals for which he was allegedly at fault.
While some of the claims in the video are harsh, the criticism reflects a broader frustration with his form. Van Nistelrooy’s options are limited, with only Hamza Choudhury, a natural midfielder, as a possible replacement.
The defeat’s most concerning aspect was the nature of the winning goal. Ayew, visibly fatigued, called for Justin’s pass but failed to handle it effectively.
While Luke Thomas could have done more to prevent Bailey’s shot, the sequence of mistakes highlighted Leicester’s vulnerability under pressure.
Leicester now turn to an FA Cup clash against QPR this weekend, offering van Nistelrooy a chance to rotate his squad and boost morale.
Following that, back-to-back home games against Crystal Palace and Fulham could prove pivotal in determining the Foxes’ fate this season. Time is running out, and they cannot afford to let such mistakes define their campaign.
