Match Report: Leicester City player ratings v Palermo in pre-season….

Leicester City lost for the first time this pre-season as a decent performance against Palermo was not reflected by the scoreline.

City were the better team at Chesterfield’s SMH Group Stadium but a good number of chances went begging, with Federico Di Francesco poking in the game’s only goal for the Serie B side on the hour. It means City’s unbeaten pre-season ends in their third outing.

As Steve Cooper seeks to get his side ready for the Premier League, there were changes from Tuesday’s win and further experiments. Wilfred Ndidi was back to playing in an attacking role, while Stephy Mavididi was shuffled over to the wing again. At full-back, Ricardo Pereira was this time the man hanging back, allowing James Justin to advance.

Plus, there were new personnel. Mads Hermansen, back from an extended break for his involvement with Denmark at Euro 2024, started in goal.

The first half-hour was decidedly pre-season, an even game with very little goalmouth action. Only Filippo Ranocchia’s 25-yard free-kick, a few inches wide, threatened to trouble the goal.

But City began to find their feet and started to dominate possession, pushing higher up the pitch and penning Palermo in. Mavididi and Ndidi were the biggest threats, and all of the chances fell their way.

The first opportunity was the biggest. The pair played a one-two to get Mavididi in behind, the winger winning a race to the ball with Palermo goalkeeper Alfred Gomis. The ball popped into the air, and with the goal gaping, Mavididi attempted an overhead kick. But he didn’t connect cleanly and Palermo cleared.

Shortly after, Ndidi headed a Mavididi cross wide, and then Mavididi had a low shot turned around the post. There wasn’t enough time for City to make their pressure count before the whistle was blown for the interval.

It took a few minutes but City got back into their stride and more chances came their way, Mavididi seeing a shot deflecting wide before Caleb Okoli bundled a set-piece just past the post. But then, against the run of play, Palermo took the lead.

Ricardo intercepted a ball through but inadvertently diverted the ball into Di Francesco’s path. He was left free in the box to simply place it past substitute goalkeeper Danny Ward.

City had a flurry of chances for an immediate response, playing some excellent football to get into the box, but on each occasion, a Palermo defender got themselves in the way. As the subs came on, including a maiden City outing for Bobby De Cordova-Reid, the chances dried up.

But there was one final opportunity when Victor Kristiansen’s fizzed cross was drilled at his own goal by Alexi Blin, but Gomis saved well. It wasn’t to be City’s day.

Mads Hermansen: He was out quickly to snuff out one dangerous Palermo moment, but otherwise had nothing at all to do. A very easy return to life at City for the Dane.

Ricardo Pereira: He had to hang back this time, playing in the more defensive of the two full-back roles. It was probably easier on his hamstrings, but meant he wasn’t seen in an attacking sense. For the Palermo goal, he accidentally set up Di Francesco.

Conor Coady: Defensively, he was really good. He covered across the back-line well and stuck to his task when running back. On the ball, he wasn’t quite as adventurous as Tuesday night, and his lofted passes didn’t find their mark.

Caleb Okoli: Better. He was more composed on the ball and was strong in defending one-on-ones, putting in a crunching tackle in the second half. Promisingly, he had a couple of chances from set-pieces, but fluffed his lines a little.

James Justin: He got forward really well to support the attack, linking well and setting up one of Mavididi’s second-half chances. Defensively, he was quick into the duels.

Harry Winks: He pulled the strings early on and was at the heart of City’s play. He wasn’t always accurate with the ball though, and his set-piece delivery wasn’t great.

Boubakary Soumare: He picked up an early booking for a cynical foul but did show a turn of pace to get back. In the first half, he was okay on the ball, but didn’t show himself for it anywhere near enough. In the second half, he was too slow.

Abdul Fatawu: He had a difficult first half. His touch was poor and he rarely beat his man, while he frustrated Ndidi by not making off-the-ball runs. But he improved in the second period and was able to run with speed.

Wilfred Ndidi: In an attacking role, he was confident, getting on the ball often, looking good with it, trying audacious passes and pulling off a few too to set up Mavididi and others. A strong performance.

Stephy Mavididi: City’s biggest threat. He found space really well to continually get on the ball in and around the box. He got shots off too, but found all his efforts blocked, bar the acrobatic effort he scuffed. He looks in great shape.

Patson Daka: He tracked back well and connected play with decent composure at times. But he didn’t provide an attacking threat.