Leicester City suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest on Friday, with one player once again proving costly for Steve Cooper.
Leicester City’s Welsh Manager Steve Cooper gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Nottingham Forest at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on October 25, 2024. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images)
After their impressive comeback win against Southampton in their previous match, Leicester City were hoping to secure a third consecutive victory. Cooper made some bold decisions by starting Harry Winks and Abdul Fatawu, who had performed well in the previous game.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: James Justin of Leicester City during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Nottingham Forest at King Power Stadium on October 25, 2024 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Despite Jamie Vardy’s equalizer in the first half, Nottingham Forest emerged victorious with a solid performance. Wout Faes had a forgettable game, contributing to Chris Wood’s winning goal.
James Justin, who had been struggling all season, failed to impress against Nottingham Forest. His poor clearance led to Forest’s opening goal, and his overall performance was labeled as ‘very poor’ by critics.
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 25: Leicester City Manager Steve Cooper, Leicester City goalkeeping coach Danny Alcock and Leicester City first team coach Ben Dawson after the Premier League match between Leicester City and Nottingham Forest at King Power Stadium on October 25, 2024 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Fans were left puzzled by Cooper’s decision to persist with Justin in the starting lineup, especially after his costly errors in previous matches. With Justin consistently failing to deliver, Cooper’s job security is in jeopardy, and Leicester’s chances of survival are diminishing.
