Exactly one month ago, Leicester laboured to a 0-0 home draw with fellow strugglers Hull City. With 10 games to go at the time and seven points adrift; many assumed Leicester’s stay in the top flight had come to an end. Speculation off the pitch was being matched by listlessness on it and some were already a penning a red ‘R’ next to their name.
Fast forward a month and two wins on the spin, both with dramatic late winners have highlighted that The Foxes are from done; now only three points adrift of those outside the relegation zone and all the momentum – Leicester may just beat the drop.
West Ham at home may prove to be the pivotal fixture for Pearson’s men. After going ahead, they were soon pegged back by their visitors and for all of their effort and for all of their chances, including a missed penalty, it seemed that Leicester would only pick up the solitary point, probably not enough in their quest for survival. However, with only four minutes left Andy King prodded City’s season back to life and in turn reignited the relegation dogfight.
Prior to the last gasp win against The Hammers, Leicester were going nowhere fast; no wins in a three month period had left them marooned at the bottom of the table, where others were picking up points, the Foxes were not.
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The fact that Leicester followed up that victory with another three points the following week, this time away at fellow strugglers West Brom, showed they were finally on a roll. Again Pearson’s men left it late, displaying the character and fight they suddenly seem to have found in the last two weeks. During the most turbulent times of their season, many questioned whether the manager had lost the dressing room. Those questions are certainly no longer being asked of his charges.
As well as being the team with all the momentum going into the final stretch of fixtures, Leicester’s run-in, on paper, seems a particularly kind one. Winnable home fixtures against Swansea, Newcastle and QPR are complimented by away fixtures at Burnley and Sunderland. Not only do The Foxes have the opportunity to continue this positive run they now find themselves on, they also have the opportunity to stop their closest rivals from picking up points.
From a mood of despair, the dark clouds seemed to have lifted over the East Midlands; Pearson who once appeared like the world was against him was a more positive man in his post-match press conference at The Hawthorns. Of course winning football matches changes a lot, but they finally they actually are.
Compare the charge Leicester now seem to be on to the downward spiral their opponents from a month ago, Hull City, currently find themselves in. With fixtures against Liverpool, Arsenal, Man United and Tottenham to come, their plight seems to be worsening with every passing week. Leicester will feel they need to reel one team in and leap frog them; Steve Bruce’s men appear ripe for the picking.
If it comes down to the final game of the season, Leicester will fancy their chances against the hapless away version of QPR. Simply to make it to the last game from where they were a month ago is a testament to both Pearson and his players.
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