Leicester vs Nottingham Forest recap: Brendan Rodgers and the Foxes picked up their first win of the 2022-23 Premier League season, as they hit the newly promoted Reds for three goals in 10 minutes, en route to a 4-0 victory, at King Power Stadium on Monday.
[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]
Rodgers’ employment had recently come under a bit of scrutiny, with the Foxes losing six straight games after picking up their only point to date on opening day. Unsurprisingly, Monday’s victory was also Leicester’s first clean sheet of the season, after conceding a Premier League-worst 22 goals in their first seven games (still most in the PL, with Forest one behind on 21).
The result sees the Foxes and Reds swap places in the table, from 20th and 19th, to 19th and 20th, respectively.
What we learned from Leicester vs Nottingham Forest
Quality of known quantities shines through
James Maddison scored two goals and assisted another; Wilfried Ndidi protected the backline and didn’t get injured; Youri Tielemans linked play and took up dangerous areas on one side while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall did the same on the other; Harvey Barnes got on the scoresheet. Before the season began, this is more or less how Rodgers drew it up. He would have also been counting on key contributions from last summer’s crown-jewel signings Patson Daka (also scored a goal on Monday), and for Jamie Vardy to remain a frequent goal threat and chip in double-digit goals for the 8th straight season. Vardy didn’t get a goal, but the 35-year-old Leicester legend had four shots (all in the first half) and might have scored two or three on another day. A victory all by itself doesn’t fix a team or save a season, but a team performance like we saw from Leicester on Monday? That might just do the trick.
Unfamiliar faces, familiar results
As previously stated, Forest’s defensive record is only minimally better than that of Leicester, and it’s a hugely worrying trend of late, having conceded 16 goals in their last five games (all defeats, including two against Bournemouth and Fulham, the other two promoted sides). Forest made 22 signings in the summer transfer window, and through eight games they look like a side that has rarely, if ever, played together before. Because, well, they haven’t. Now, attention turns toward Steve Cooper, who could find himself under pressure if owner Evangelos Marinakis wants a quick fix as his club stares down a likely relegation battle this season.
How to watch Leicester vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 3 pm ET, Monday
TV channel: USA Network
Online: Stream via NBCSports.com
Key storylines & star players
Leicester (20th place) have conceded more goals (22) than any other side in the Premier League — even Bournemouth, who shipped nine to Liverpool in one game. Wesley Fofana left for Chelsea (for $80 million) just before the transfer deadline, and Leicester made just one (loan) signing during the summer window. Has disinterest in the boardroom turned into disinterest in the locker room? If so, it’s difficult to see how Rodgers weathers this storm.
It’s been a similar story for Forest (19th), who impressed in each of their first three Premier League outings collapsing defensively (14 goals conceded) in four straight defeats, including back-to-back 3-2 humblings at the hands of the other two promoted sides, Fulham and Bournemouth.
Leicester team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Ricardo Pereira (achilles), Ryan Bertrand (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Patson Daka (illness)
Our XI to face Forest 🦊#LEINFO pic.twitter.com/YBblLrAy8C
— Leicester City (@LCFC) October 3, 2022
Nottingham Forest team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Omar Richards (calf), Moussa Niakhate (thigh), Orel Mangala (undisclosed) | QUESTIONABLE: Emmanuel Dennis (knock), Morgan Gibbs-White (knock), Scott McKenna (knee)
3️⃣ changes to the XI.
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) October 3, 2022
🔙 O’Brien & Lingard return to the side.
✊ Cook takes the armband.
Introducing your #NFFC team this evening… pic.twitter.com/I2SVxxQSOE