It will be hard for Steve Cooper to view Leicester City’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace as anything but two points lost, especially after taking a commanding 2-0 lead at Selhurst Park.
The Leicester manager made just one change to the side that fell to a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa before the international break, with Stephy Mavididi replacing Abdul Fatawu in the starting line-up.
The decision appeared to pay off, as Mavididi added to Jamie Vardy’s first-half goal, doubling the Foxes’ advantage early in the second half.
However, Leicester’s jubilation was short-lived. Just a minute after Mavididi’s 46th-minute strike, Jean-Philippe Mateta pulled one back for Crystal Palace, reigniting the contest.
What followed was a familiar tale of Leicester’s defensive frailties, as they dropped deeper and deeper, seemingly inviting pressure from the home side.
As the clock ticked down, Leicester’s resistance finally broke when Conor Coady gave away a late penalty, with Mateta stepping up to convert in stoppage time, denying Leicester their first league win of the season.
It’s a result that will leave Cooper with plenty to ponder, especially given the nature of his substitutions.
In a bid to protect Leicester’s slender lead, Cooper made three changes, all of which could be seen as defensive moves.
Fatawu replaced Mavididi, with the Ghanaian winger perhaps offering more defensive cover for his full-back.
Hamza Choudhury was also introduced, taking the place of Wilfred Ndidi in midfield, while centre-back Conor Coady came on for winger Jordan Ayew, with Leicester shifting to a back three for the closing stages.
While the intention was clear – to shore up the defence and see out the game – the execution left much to be desired.
Palace, sensing Leicester’s growing apprehension, continued to press, and their persistence was rewarded when Coady’s foul on Ismaila Sarr led to the decisive penalty.
Mateta, who had already scored once, coolly dispatched the spot-kick, leaving Leicester with just a single point.
Reflecting on his decisions after the match, Cooper defended his approach. “Palace chucked everything at us, made a load of changes and put every attacking player on they could,” he said. “They had six or seven on the back-line and we matched numbers.”
Cooper added: “I never really felt like the goal was coming. It could, because of the territory. We were trying to get counter-attacks with Abdul (Fatawu) on the pitch.
“Any chances they were having were from difficult areas and they were going wide and would have been difficult opportunities to score. To give the penalty away is frustrating. I wouldn’t say we invited (pressure), but we accepted it.”
While hindsight may offer a clearer perspective, it’s understandable that Cooper’s decision-making will come under scrutiny.
Had he opted for more positive substitutions and Leicester still conceded, the criticism would have been for his naivety. But as things stand, it’s difficult not to see this as a missed opportunity.
Ultimately, Leicester came agonisingly close to securing their first three points of the season, only to let them slip through their fingers. The defensive approach may have been understandable, but the pressure they invited proved costly in the end.