David Nugent’s inevitable goal was sandwiched between strikes from Jamie Vardy and Chris Wood as Championship leaders Leicester comfortably beat Town 3-0 at the King Power Stadium. Vardy opened the scoring in the 19th minute, Nugent added the second on 31 and Wood completed the scoring two minutes before the end.

As expected, Frank Nouble replaced injured top scorer David McGoldrick alongside Daryl Murphy up front, while Dean Gerken returned in goal, despite Scott Loach’s impressive display in last week’s 0-0 draw with Blackpool.

Jay Tabb took over in midfield from Luke Hyam, who is out for a fortnight with the hamstring injury he suffered in the early stages against the Seasiders. For Leicester, Jeff Schlupp replaced the suspended Paul Konchesky at left-back.

There was an early scare for Town, in their red and black away kit, when the wind caught a ball over the top but Tommy Smith got across to dispossess Vardy.

There was another worrying moment in the third minute when Gerken mishandled Luke Chambers’s header back to him but fortunately grabbed hold of the ball before it reached his goal and ahead of Vardy.

The table-topping home side were starting strongly and on four Gerken saved sharply down to his left after Wes Morgan had headed Matty James’s left-sided corner goalwards.

Vardy claimed Smith had felled him as he chased the ball in a promising area in the seventh minute but referee James Linington waved away his protests, the former Fleetwood man having gone to ground very easily.

Cole Skuse mis-hit Town’s first chance of the game wide in the 12th minute after Paul Green had caught James dallying in possession on the edge of his own area. The loose ball fell nicely to the former Bristol City man, who should have gone much closer to netting his first goal for the Blues.

Marcin Wasilewski got his name in referee Linington’s book for a high challenge on Stephen Hunt on 16 then moments later Tabb joined him for a foul on Vardy.

Cresswell forced Kasper Schmeichel into his first serious save of the afternoon on 18, the left-back whipping over a cross-shot which the Danish international tipped beyond the bar.

Vardy had been Leicester’s main danger and in the 19th minute he put his side in front, although with significant help from the Blues. Tabb failed to spot the Leicester striker in behind his defenders and played a backpass towards Gerken which Vardy intercepted and then flicked past the Town keeper from a tight angle on the left.

Twelve minutes later, it was 2-0 and perhaps inevitably David Nugent was the scorer. Chambers tried to divert Ritchie De Laet’s cross from the right behind but only succeeded in returning the ball to the Belgian, who sent it back into the box to Nugent, who gleefully tapped home his 14th goal in 13 games against the Blues and sixth in five for Leicester against Town.

There was little doubt that Leicester had been on top from the off but both goals owed almost everything to woeful Town defending.

Anthony Knockaert went looking for a third, curling a 36th minute freekick just wide, then just before the break Wasilewski flicked James’s cross from the left just over.

As the half moved into injury time, Nugent found Lloyd Dyer breaking down the centre to his right but Aaron Cresswell got across to dispossess the winger.

The end of the half came as a bit of a relief for the Blues who had been shown exactly why Leicester are top of the table and seemingly certain to return to the Premier League come May.

The Foxes had been on top throughout — Skuse’s scuffed shot was Town’s only real chance — but both goals were the result of poor defending. Given the home side’s superiority, a second half Town comeback seemed an unlikely prospect.

Morgan headed a Knockaert corner wide at the far post five minutes after the restart with Leicester starting the second half on the front foot.

On 54 Knockaert shot wide from the right with Cresswell on the ground just off the pitch having hurt himself trying to cut out an earlier Vardy cross. The Blues left-back was OK to return after treatment.

Nouble showed persistence to come close to blocking a Schmeichel kick, then on the hour Smith was unable to keep a header down at the far post after Berra had flicked on a Cresswell freekick from the left. On 61 Paul Anderson replaced Tabb with Green moving into the middle.

Town were looking more of a threat than they had in the first half and in the 61st minute Hunt’s cross from the left eventually fell to Murphy after battling work from Nouble but the Irishman’s scuffed shot failed to test Schmeichel. In the 66th minute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake replaced Nouble.

James shot wide from distance for the Foxes on 68 with the half a more even affair than the first period. Three minutes later, Cresswell dragged a 25-yard freekick well wide when he ought to have done better.

Gerken blocked Schlupp’s shot from a tight angle on the left in the 74th minute after good work from sub Riyad Mahrez prior to Paul Taylor taking over from Hunt.

Ebanks-Blake’s backheel from Anderson’s low ball from the right in the 79th minute was too close to Schmeichel, then the former Forest and Bristol City man couldn’t get away from Schlupp after being sent away by Murphy’s clever flick.

Taylor shot into the side-netting from the left as the game entered its final seven minutes. Town’s nemesis Nugent made way having netted his usual goal soon afterwards, Kevin Phillips taking over up front for the Foxes.

An Ebanks-Blake strike deflected wide on 85, winning Town only their second corner of the afternoon. Taylor flicked on Anderson’s flagkick but neither Ebanks-Blake nor Murphy could divert the ball goalwards.

Wasilewski should have made it 3-0 in the 87th minute but headed James’s cross from the left over from virtually under the bar.

However, the Foxes didn’t have to wait too long for a third goal. James played in sub Chris Wood, who beat the advancing Gerken.

In injury time Taylor curled a 25-yard freekick wide, but there was no way back for the Blues and referee Linington’s final whistle confirmed Town’s heaviest defeat of the season.

While Leicester’s two goals were rather gifted to them by poor defending, the Foxes were much the superior side and a home win never really looked in question from the opening minutes.

Town were better after the break than they had been during the first half, however, the game was all but over by that stage with Wood’s third goal adding a late gloss.

Today’s results see the Blues drop to 10th but still five points from the play-offs with sixth-placed reading losing at home to Blackburn.

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Wasilewski, Morgan (c), Schlupp, Knockaert, James, Drinkwater, Dyer (Mahrez 64), Nugent (Phillips 84), Vardy (Wood 71). Unused: Hammond, King, Moore, Logan.

Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Green, Skuse, Tabb (Anderson 61), Hunt (Taylor 75), Murphy, Nouble (Ebanks-Blake 66). Unused: Loach, Mings, Richardson, Wordsworth. Referee: James Linington (Newport, Isle of Wight). Att: 28,078 (Town: 1,212).

Photo: Action Images

oldelsworthyfan added 11:09 - Feb 23 What would be wrong in giving Taylor and Wordsworth extended runs in the team?
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bluey123 added 11:39 - Feb 23 What a crap manager think about what he has done of late team selection against Blackpool playing defensive midfielder on the right wing rubbish. dropping Loach for Gerken rubbish.Not playing Taylor and playing Nouble beggars belief. Overall not signing a decent midfielder not signing a decent keeper and most of all breaking up the Smith /Chambers partnership they were brilliant last season. This all adds up to an awful manager he should be sacked now.

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ChrisFelix added 11:48 - Feb 23 I too am frustrated by the results especially at home this season. But when you think back to the mess MM inherited im satisfied with the improvement. Even our best managers took time to achieve success ie McGarry Burley & Robson. Its clear to the manager what needs improving & im sure there will more changes before next August. Personally im excited with what i have seen of Jack Marriot on video & have always been impressed with Hewitt from his first appearance. Im sure that the manager has already penciled his midfield targets . Im looking forward to next year. For all those who feels MM should go, I wonder who they feel would come to Ipswich & make us a premiership side overnight

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righty added 12:03 - Feb 23 Its not a matter of getting into the premiership overnight its about playing football not the rubbish have to watch as season ticket holders. As for who should come you need a manager who will play football that will improve the crowds. We have suffered since Evans took over with 3 managers have not got ITFC in their heart or who has any idea about this club. So yes there are people who could do a good job Mills or Burley they both love the club.

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Garv added 12:33 - Feb 23 I wouldn't give MM a penny of my money. Throwing money at the situation isn't what is needed. What's needed is proper team selections with players in their natural positions, our better players on the pitch instead of sitting on their arses, and average joes like Tabb and Nouble nowhere near the starting XI.
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runningout added 12:40 - Feb 23 our so called professionals are playing like donuts......... not sure our manager wants to be here, and never has. Sorry to say!
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jayaps added 12:48 - Feb 23 Agree with you righty.Think Mick Mills would do a good job.Listen to his commentary on Ipswich player he has a great football brain and Town in his heart.He moans every home game about MMs obsession with worrying about the opposition and playing systems to stop them rather than saying we are the home team let them worry about us!
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blue_moon09 added 13:24 - Feb 23 What planet are you muppets on wanting MM out, his the best manager we have had for years, Town are not ready for the playoffs this season, it's all about making progress he knows the midfield is not good enough to challenge for promotion, hopefully this will be addressed during the summer. So stop moaning and being so negative, its pathetic, you lot can't be proper loyal fans. get a grip

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bluemikey100 added 13:38 - Feb 23 jim magilton cud signed nugent on loan in 2008 but he questioned his fitness shame a player love to hate lol
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NoelTheDub added 13:59 - Feb 23 blue moon 09 Agree with your first few lines but you say he knows the midfield is not good enough when he plays the same every week.There is guys that could put a little spark in the middle but Mick clearly opts to play out of position and a defense type player.Im not looking for much this season staying up would do me but I have problems with Micks choice of player in most games mainly at home v teams as ordinary as us .

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Hegansheroes added 14:35 - Feb 23 McCarthy do the honourable thing, resign, you've done the job you were employed for & you are not capable of getting us any further. I would love to go to PM Road & see some football but it's not going to happen until this idiot goes.
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NoelTheDub added 15:01 - Feb 23 Micks message to teams playing us this season 1.I have a centre half at right back.2 Central midfielder wide right.3 Two centre midfielders who pass the ball sideways and back only.4 No wide pace in the team.The answer to this MM is you do have a right back,You do have a creative midfielder to play with our holding man,You do have a bit of pace out wide but you choose not to as seen in our recent results.

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Lord_Mac added 17:02 - Feb 23 I love that - Magilton could have signed Nugent, but questioned his fitness, yet to listen to people on here, you'd think he was a better manager than MM. Well, he wasn't, and isn't, and never will be. That's why he can't hold down a manager's job. We're climbing a ladder, one rung at a time. How much time have we spent worrying about the bottom three this year? None at all. Yet those of you who keep saying how crap MM is, seem to have forgotten how much progress that represents. if you'd taken over, you'd have been starting your managerial career in League One, cos that's where we'd be without him. Yes, we don't agree with all of his tactics, but the time to push for his removal is when we go backwards in a season, compared to the last. And that certainly won't be this year. He's done that with no money, and that's going to be the norm from now on. Whether it's because ME hasn't got any, or won't spent any, or wants to get the club into a self-sufficient position (which I would certainly support), that's the way it'll be from now on. A period of stability will be good for the club and eventually we'll get into the Top Six, without a risk of going down. I;d rather that than the boom and bust tactics of clubs like Leeds, QPR and Birmingham - who knows where they'll be in five years time?

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blueboy1981 added 18:00 - Feb 23 blue moon09 ............... state the obvious, why don't you ? ..... ' Town are not good enough for the Play-Off's this season' !!!!! .......... you don't have to tell US we've been saying it for weeks, and now see it week after week, game after game. Get a grip.
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Kirbmeister added 18:03 - Feb 23 Lord Mac - at last a realistic comment in amongst all the shouts for MM out. You are right we are making progress and MM has had no money to spend. You never know ME may make funds available in the summer. This has been a solid season. We are going in the right direction. I guarantee that if we win next weekend most of the comments will be positive again.
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Warkys_Tash added 18:15 - Feb 23 Frustrating but predictable result. MM has done a great job steadying the ship. However, it's now time to be less negative. We aren't getting relegated so let's see our best players, keep the ball on the deck & entertain.
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CraigCM added 18:16 - Feb 23 MM does not need to be out at all, the man has a team that isn't that big to choose from and hasn't got top quality players. I would of like to see Jack Marriott play instead of being loaned out. No offence to Nouble but he is just not good enough for this league I haven't seen the boy do nothing at this club even if he was a bargin. Let's face it, the team we have now is not good enough to play in the premier league, if we go up we would get battered. And then it would be MM out as usual. In this league nowadays is about money which we clearly do not have. ME is not even got the money to compete with the leagues. It's just another power hungry person taking over a club and spending billions to have the best squad. I think football is losing the passion of football and just become a business. So don't think it's just easy to spend money if you can't give players £50k+ a week then you won't really get high class players. Basically if you want this club to be top class we'd need a new owner. Because when we get talent some premier league club will just come a take them. Don't be surprised if Mcgoldrick is gone at the end of the season because someone will spend on him and ME will sell. I think people need to stop being so negative about MM, he has done an amazing job with this town team. I haven't seen our defense as tight as this for a long time. We are just lacking players to fill there postions. thats why players are out of postions, Although i'd like to see MM give other players a chance instead of the same people. Nouble needs to be out for a start he isn't good enough. SEB or Taylor maybe but I'd prefer Marriott to be back and see what he can do. Put Hunt in ATTK MID, Green in Centre with Skuse and Hyam. And Taylor and SEB up front. Put Murphy on the bench. Defense as it is. so a 4-3-1-2. CM

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blueboy1981 added 18:16 - Feb 23 ........ don't keep bleating about 'no money to spend' - if I was Evans I would be looking for much more in the way of tactical awareness from the Manager - before I released the purse strings. This squad IS NOT performing to it's potential - and until round pegs in round holes are in place, and flair and creativity are introduced - it never will. There is enough in this current squad to do FAR BETTER, reference the above, before any money is spent.

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Warkys_Tash added 18:18 - Feb 23 Jayaps, Have you seen Mills' managerial record? Stoke & Birmingham - take a look.
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blueboy1981 added 18:20 - Feb 23 oldelsworthy ...... one problem with that - both players have 'flair' and may 'create' something. Shock / Horror - just can't be done.
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NoelTheDub added 18:26 - Feb 23 Kirbmeister If you think MM will do a better job with lots of funds so could I.What did big money do for our last 2 managers,its down to the type of player Mick likes and thats quiet clear.Its a pity we didnt see Seb with McGoldrick up top but have me doubts if Mick would drop Frank or Daryl that me problem and the lack of supply from out wide or a good pass from the middle whtch wont happen as nobody Mick plays in there can do it.

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JWM added 20:19 - Feb 23 Another week and another load of idiot posts demanding for Mick to leave! Dear oh dear what an embarrassment some of you are!
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blueboy1981 added 20:32 - Feb 23 JWM ........ you forgot to mention :- .... another inept performance, after the previous debacle against Blackpool. But then you would.
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JWM added 20:38 - Feb 23 Against the best team in the league Blueboy... Jeez just get a life!
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thebeat added 20:48 - Feb 23 JWM i dont want Mick out and never have, i just want him to change his attitude and stop being so stubborn. We just want players played in their correct positions, and the best players playing, we all have eyes, we all know who the best players are but he picks his favourites week after week even tho its to the detriment of the team. Deep down he knows Tabb and Nouble arent good enough but he keeps picking them out of stubborness cus he knows the fans want them out. All that crap that managers dont read sites like this is baloney, he knows who the fans want in the team but he sigs his heels in just to prove a point. Next weekends selection will say it all about his long term attitude, if he plays Tabb and Nouble again and plays Green on the right hes not bothered in the long term hes just trying to keep his defeat record down, if he plays 2 wingers and drops Nouble maybe theres hope.

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