nPower Championship: Leicester City

Following back-to-back defeats, Sheffield Wednesday visit the King Power Stadium knowing that the game against a promotion chasing Leicester City side could push them closer to the bottom 3 by full time. The hosts though find themselves in a slump of their own and by picking up only 5 points out of the last 18, they find themselves with the threat of slipping away from the promotion pack.




The match gets underway with both sets of fans backing their team with a thunderous noise and within 3mins Leicester have the first chance. The returning Reda Johnson fouls David Nugent and when Ben Marshall whips the free-kick into a packed box, Kieran Lee reacts first to clear. Within a couple of minutes, The Foxes again have a good opportunity following good build up play down the right and Nugent's shot finds Chris Kirkland equal to it and the resulting Marshall corner is cleared by R.Johnson. The noise at the King Power could rock the stadium as both sets of fans are in top volume. On the 8th minute Marshall has another chance to swing a corner into the box and Manchester United loanee Michael Keane heads narrowly over the crossbar. As the home side crank up the pressure Nugent fires wide from a good position in another let-off for the Owls. The away side spark into life seconds later, Michail Antonio does well to steal the ball and put in an inch perfect cross for Leroy Lita who heads wide from close range. When Nugent fouls Lewis Buxton on the 16th minute, the 1-cap England striker sees the games first yellow card. A couple of minutes later and Lita is fouled in a dangerous position by Wes Morgan but the danger is soon quashed when Kasper Schmeichel claims Buxton's cross. Leicester's forward Nugent wastes another great chance when on the 22nd minute he fires wide from outside of the area - yet another warning shot from the enthusiastic striker. Within minutes of Kirkland claiming another Marshall corner, Wednesday force their own corner but Anthony Gardner is penalised for a foul on Morgan when attempting to connect with Antonio's set-piece. Ex-Wednesday favourite Marshall almost breaks the deadlock on the next attack but finds former Leicester loanee Kirkland equal to it. The Owls come close on the 34th minute when Antonio whips a cross in and Lita's header is saved by Schmeichel. As half time approaches Marshall is again left disappointed when his corner is easily claimed before the in-form keeper saves well from a Ritchie De Laet shot. The whistle comes when Kirkland yet again claims a disappointed Marshall corner kick and the noise is again at a top level.

HT. The effort from the crowd is matched by the effort of the players - the incredible noise (by both sets of fans) is being echoed by a fast-paced, action packed match. An exciting half that sees play-off positioned Leicester matched by their opponents that are flirting with relegation. A snack of Bacon Disco's (not had in years!) & a Cherry Coke has me eager for kick-off.

It takes 7mins for the first meaningful action to take place, following a R.Johnson foul on De Laet, Marshall sends a good free-kick into the box which Harry Kane heads narrowly over the bar. Wednesday waste a corner kick when Miguel Llera is penalised for a foul and the Foxes fail to capitalise and when possession is squandered, Lita feeds Antonio who fires a shot at goal that is saved by Schmeichel in the Owls best chance of the game so far. The yellow card is again flashed on the 56th minute, Buxton enters the book for fouling De Laet. Within a minute the Owls make the first substitution and Connor Wickham makes the final appearance of his loan deal from Sunderland when he replaces R.Johnson who seems to have picked up a knock. On the hour mark a lazy challenge by Jeffrey Schlupp (who is being heavily linked with a Premiership move) on Antonio allows Danny Pugh to put the ball into the box but disappointingly the move breaks down. The break in play allows Leicester to replace Harry Kane with France U21 midfielder Anthony Knockaert. The home side look to press home the pressure and on the 63rd minute, Marshall fires a volley over the bar in another let-off for Sheffield Wednesday. With 69mins on the clock, the away fans are jubilant as Wickham breaks the deadlock with a crashing volley that ricochets off of the keeper on its way into the back of the net - a floated Buxton cross being flicked on by Antonio onto the boot of the young forward. Former Sheffield United loanee Paul Gallagher is brought on to replace Marshall on the 73rd minute and with the £1m man now warming the bench, Knockaert was given corner-kick duty but Kirkland makes light work of a claim as he did with Marshalls. Wednesday make another change with the hope of stopping Leicestershire growing momentum and Jose Semedo is chanted onto the field with "He's magic you know, you'll never get past Semedo" at top volume replacing Lita. Into the final 10mins and Leicester earn another corner, Knockaert delivers well this time and Michael Keane sees his header rebound off the post as the Owls cling to their lead. 85mins on the clock and Wednesday legend and Leicester manager Nigel Pearson replaces De Laet with Sean St.Ledger and when Semedo fouls Morgan in the 88th minute, Danny Drinkwater drops a free-kick into a packed box but Kirkland again comes and claims. The former England keeper is again called into action in the dying moments when he saves a last-ditch Gallagher shot before the full time whistle is blown and greeted with home boo's and jubilant away fans.

FT. Now that's an away performance!! Brilliant from Wednesday, compare that to the last time the teams met and see the leaps that the Owls have made. The home side edged possession and have plenty more shots but that was a solid team performance by the away side.

Attendance: 24,883
Owls Man of the Match: Antonio (offensively brilliant and defensively fantastic - always tracking back, energy levels were excellent)