Action! Leicester City’s rare situation with response needed for 53-year achievement

The verdict on Leicester City’s 2-1 home defeat to QPR as Enzo Maresca’s Championship table-toppers fall to a third consecutive league defeat to see their lead dented again

The QPR supporters at King Power Stadium, bursting with excitement at watching their team defeat the league leaders, sang, “Top of the league, you’re having a laugh,” when they fell behind as the home crowd dispersed.

Since Leicester City fans had long since left the stadium, they were not present to hear them, but given the performance they had just witnessed, there may have been others who shared their sentiments. Although City was not in danger of relegation, they lacked a decisive advantage to overcome their opponents.

The QPR chant does have some truth to it. Not in a mathematical sense. City is still in first place and will stay there even if they lose on Tuesday, barring a 15-goal swing.

In the past 30 years, just one second-tier champion has had a run of three or more consecutive league losses. That was Reading in 2011-12. But their four defeats on the bounce came in August and September, right at the start of the campaign, before they were in a promotion push.

Otherwise, it just doesn’t happen. Sure, nearly every second-tier title-winner over the past 30 years has had a blip, but they don’t lose three in a row at the business-end of the season.

This was comfortably the most concerning of City’s trio of defeats, but it should be stressed: it wasn’t terrible. They finished the game with 18 shots to QPR’s three. They weren’t overrun. They weren’t hapless. QPR’s goals came from big chances, yes, but there is still an element of misfortune at conceding to your opponents’ first two shots.

However, City really didn’t threaten that much. QPR defended well, but they didn’t have to be terrific at the back. City usually messed it up themselves in the final third before QPR had to halt their progress.

Even in the pouring rain, with conditions difficult for the goalkeepers and with Asmir Begovic looking like he might spill every shot he saved, City didn’t test him. They had just one shot on target in the final half-hour after Ben Nelson’s goal. But that wasn’t to do with poor finishing. They just didn’t create good openings.

In isolation, you could write it off as a bad game. But it’s difficult to do that when it’s the third loss in a row. That City fashioned some huge chances against Boro and played really well for 80 minutes against Leeds is almost forgotten.

Those two matches weren’t a problem. There were issues in them – shoddy finishing and a late crumble at Elland Road – but they had plenty of redeeming moments and they would not have been reflected on too negatively had City beaten QPR.

That they lost again, and without looking like they would ever win, means there will be panic. There are worries in the fanbase after every loss, but the defeat to QPR and the blunt attack will cause concern for even the most level-headed supporter.

Panicking is the last thing the squad should do. Enzo Maresca was preaching balance after the game, saying they should not get too nervous but neither be too quiet. But he acknowledged it may be difficult. After leading the league since September, he said the pressure of being the long-time table-toppers “could be” getting to his squad.

It’s undoubtedly the toughest moment of their season. There will be pundits starting to question their bottle. There are three excellent teams behind them licking their lips at the promotion race opening up and looking to capitalise on any wobble.

So here’s where City really shines as champions. They need to see past this match. It’s really a one-off in terms of performance. They haven’t performed this dreadfully in months. Since December, they have, for the most part, been playing excellently.

With 11 games remaining, they would have grabbed the lead by three points. With 11 games remaining, they would have taken fifth place, five points ahead of third. They have remained the best squad in the division up to this time and are now in first place. It is now their responsibility to show that, after 46 games, they are the best team in this division.

They need to demonstrate that they are an uncommon team—one that can drop three straight games and nonetheless win the league.