Nigel Pearson has too often watched Leicester City lose in spirited fashion this season, deserving more but often emerging with nothing. This win, therefore, pleased him no end, prevailing after weathering a late Hull City storm, digging deep in the face of sustained pressure to secure a first win in 14 games following Riyad Mahrez’s fine first-half strike.
It was all the sweeter for Pearson given that it was against one of his former clubs; his return to the KC Stadium pushed the Tigers deeper into the relegation scrap. Steve Bruce’s side sit 17th after this defeat, out of the bottom three on goal difference. They failed to break down Leicester in the closing stages when both sides were reduced to 10 men by red cards to Paul Konchesky and Stephen Quinn.
Leicester remain bottom but the significance of this victory must not be underestimated. Pearson’s side had not won since beating Manchester United in September, enduring a terrible run since then that has featured 11 defeats. How they needed a piece of quality here and it was Mahrez who provided it, the Algeria international scoring with a superb strike.
Bruce had described this game as “bigger than the FA Cup final” but his side failed to stir themselves sufficiently during an insipid first-half display that only sparked to life once Mahrez struck. Hull improved as the game wore on but their pressure came too late. When Phil Dowd called time the natives were restless.
The sight of Pearson applauding the Leicester supporters after full time did not ease Hull’s pain but the relief was evident among the blue shirts. “It’s been a long time since we’ve talked about winning a game,” said Pearson. “You need a bit of luck from time to time and we’ve certainly not had much in this long run of ours. I’ll be the first to admit that we didn’t play as well as we can play. The qualities that we showed today, we’re going to need from hereon in.
“I think there is external pressure, people talking about [being] bottom at Christmas. We know that we’ve got capabilities and we will try and strengthen as well. It was a big game. Losing today would have meant that we were losing touch. We are still in a very difficult situation so let’s not kid ourselves with the relief. We’ve got to try and push on from this.”
Esteban Cambiasso and Matty James started in midfield for Leicester and although Hull held the upper hand in the first half the home side were woefully short of ideas in the final third. The sucker-punch came when Mahrez received the ball from David Nugent, cut inside and finished beautifully into the bottom corner from 25 yards.
It set up a frantic end to the half and Ahmed Elmohamady was guilty of an awful miss at the far post following a fine cross from Quinn, but he scuffed his first-time effort over the bar.
Bruce responded at half-time by bringing on Nikica Jelavic for Gastón Ramírez but it was Abel Hernández’s introduction that provided extra impetus in attack. The striker rattled the post with a header and in the aftermath Curtis Davies’s shot was cleared off the line by Marcin Wasilewski, amid unsuccessful appeals for handball.
Jake Livermore then hit the post and Hernández blazed over in the dying seconds from close range after Konchesky had been sent off for two bookings, before Quinn followed him down the tunnel for a handball when he was the last man, preventing Nugent from running through.
Bruce said: “We’ve been in the Premier League for 18 months, I can’t remember having so many chances at this level. But you’ve got to score. It turns into one of those awful afternoons when you don’t deserve to get beaten.
“When you get beaten fair and square that’s fine. When you don’t deserve it, it leaves a bad taste. It’s given Leicester a lifeline. We’ve got it all to play for in the second half of the season.”Man of the match Wes Morgan (Leicester City)Hull City (4-4-2) McGregor; Livermore, Bruce, Davies, Rosenior; Elmohamady, Quinn, Meyler (Ince, 61) Brady; Ramirez (Jelavic, 45), Aluko (Hernández, 62). Subs not used Figueroa, Maguire, Sagbo, Harper. Sent off Quinn
Leicester City (4-2-3-1) Hamer; Simpson, Wasilewski, Morgan, Konchesky; Cambiasso (Drinkwater, 71), James; Mahrez (De Laet, 71), Nugent, Schlupp; Ulloa (Wood, 55). Subs not used Hammond, Moore, Knockaert, Smith. Sent off Konchesky.
Referee Phil Dowd.
