Leicester City’s outstanding form in the early stages of the season remained unstoppable as they secured a narrow 2-1 win against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. With just 14 Championship games played so far, it’s clear that Enzo Maresca’s Foxes are a Premier League team in the making, given their impressive run of form.
Leicester have only dropped points to Hull City in the second tier, winning their other 13 league matches and sitting comfortably 14 points ahead of third-placed Leeds United. As they faced off against Queens Park Rangers, Leicester were the obvious favorites and aimed to inflict as much misery as possible on their opponents.
Cesare Casadei had an early opportunity but missed a free header from close range. However, the Foxes eventually took the lead through Stephy Mavididi’s shot, which deflected off Albert Adomah and spiraled over Asmir Begovic.
In the 40th minute, Leicester’s defense was breached for the third consecutive away game as Andre Dozzell scored for Queens Park Rangers. However, Dozzell found himself in trouble just 15 minutes into the second half after receiving two yellow cards following a heated exchange with Abdul Fatawu.
Afterwards, Gareth Ainsworth’s side dropped deeper in an attempt to secure a valuable point against the league leaders. But in the end, it was the experienced Harry Winks who had other plans. His powerful effort curled into the top right corner, securing Leicester their eighth consecutive victory.
After the match, Maresca dedicated the win to chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha’s family, acknowledging the fifth anniversary of the tragic events at the King Power Stadium that led to the passing of his father Vichai.
Maresca stated that his team’s perseverance in breaking down Queens Park Rangers’ 10 men warranted their victory. He expressed satisfaction with his team’s tactics, mentioning their attempts to change the shape and attack with six players.
Harry Winks, who joined Leicester for a fee of £10m, has made a significant impact on the team. The 27-year-old’s experience from his time at Tottenham and in the England setup has been invaluable. His performance at Loftus Road, highlighted by his sensational strike, showcased his capabilities. Winks has been a consistent performer with an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.87 and a pass completion rate of 94.9%.
Maresca revealed that Winks was the first player discussed during the club’s recruitment meetings. The manager has been impressed by the midfielder’s time in Italy with Sampdoria last season and believes he can demonstrate his full potential at Leicester.
Looking ahead, Leicester will face Leeds United at home in their pursuit of an immediate return to the Premier League.
