It’s hard to explain how it happened, but Leicester City who were 14 points clear of Manchester United on New Year’s Day began Sunday, July 6, 2020 home game against the Red Devils behind on the Premier League table. 

In a freakish end to the season, the Foxes collapsed especially during Project Restart to lose their lead in the Champions League race but Sunday gave them the opportunity to take matters into their own hands on the final day of the 2019/2020 Premier League season. 

Manchester United were in town and two Nigerian players Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho were in action from the start. 

As usual, Ndidi started as the anchorman in midfield for Leicester City while Iheanacho started alongside Jamie Vardy in a front-two system. 

The Nigerian forward was one of Leicester City’s best player in the first half, driving the ball forward from midfield and looking to play in Vardy and any other teammate close to him. 

He won the ball close to the Manchester United area in the 13th minute, played in a teammate who teed up Ndidi whose effort went over the bar. 

The Nigerian should have caused more worries for Manchester United halfway into the first half when he dragged the ball from midfield but some heavy touches later, he attempted to shoot at goal with his right foot instead of laying it up for Vardy who was in a good position. 

He got another opportunity to run at the Manchester United defence in the 33rd minute and he was guilty of holding on to the ball a little longer before he played in Youri Tielemans whose effort narrowly missed the target. 

Late in the first half, Iheanacho opened up Manchester united’s defence with a backflip pass to Marc Albrighton who failed to put in a cross from a good area.

Leicester City dominated the game in the first half but failed to create much. The Foxes didn’t have enough bodies up front which affected Iheanacho who was always looking to play in a teammate. 

Perhaps, Brendan Rodgers lost the game when he took off Iheanacho to bring in Ayoze Pérez in the 58th minute. Iheanacho could have benefited from another teammate up front with him and Vardy and his substitution affected Leicester City who lost their dominance shortly after. 

Ndidi played well in the game too. Tackling and winning the ball in the middle for Leicester City. It is something everyone expects from him these days and he never disappoints but while his strengths are remarkable, we are so used to seeing him do it every game that he now looks monotonous. 

Leicester City needed a spark, a pass that would split the defence from midfield, a long-range effort, something from a set-piece situation and Ndidi failed to deliver that.