BY the end even James Maddison was making things worse.
Leicester’s main man this season looks like their only way out of this nightmare, but even he resorted to a dive at the end which means they won’t even have him next time out.
The playmaker, desperately trying to drag Leicester off the bottom of the table and impress England boss Gareth Southgate in the stands, threw himself to the floor in the final minutes – receiving only a yellow and a suspension for Thursday’s game against Leeds United.
With time already running out to turn things around and get himself into the England squad – Maddison has blown a huge chance on both fronts.
Brendan Rodgers is hanging by a thread and will now be without the only player who looks capable of saving his job.
Rodgers insisted this week that he is excited by the daunting challenge of lifting Leicester City out of their slump.
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On the evidence of this drab affair against a lacklustre Crystal Palace, few at the King Power share their manager’s enthusiasm to see him take on that task.
The Foxes are rock bottom with just one win all season.
But most worrying might be that Rodgers faced hardly any toxic fans here. It was their alarming lack of interest that felt more unsettling than any loud cries for the axe to fall.
The hosts were without veteran defender Jonny Evans, missing through a calf problem picked up during the defeat at Bournemouth last week.
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Daniel Amartey came into a back line which, having struggled all season, kept Wilfried Zaha and Palace impressively quiet.
But that was about all there was to be impressed by.
With a flat and increasingly frustrated fanbase watching on, Leicester and their visitors both struggled to even string a pass together over the opening 45 minutes.
Harvey Barnes tried to shake Leicester awake early on.
The winger drove into the Palace penalty area and exchanged a smart and swift one-two with Patson Daka, before being clattered by Eagles keeper Vicente Guaita.
Moments later, Marc Guehi had to move quickly to throw himself in front of Barnes as he lined up a shot from six yards out.
Barnes had threatened to spark the game into life and soon Guaita was having to palm away a powerful drive from Daka – but that was as good as it got for the hosts before the break.
Guaita kept the Eagles in it and they should have gone ahead at the other end when Guehi was left unmarked at the far post but could only head Eberechi Eze’s free-kick over the bar.
Come half-time, even the boos from the home end were half-baked.
There was a brief rally from the Foxes after the break, Barnes making it to the touchline before cutting back for Maddison, who could only skew his effort high and wide.
No one around Maddison is matching his work rate when it comes to trying to revive this squad.
James Justin sent a dipping effort over the bar from range before Maddison again had a pop, dragging a low shot wide after a driving run.
Clear cut chances were in short supply, with Boubakary Soumare even letting loose with one effort which ran out of steam before it could cross the line for a goal kick.
Rodgers turned to Jamie Vardy to try and bring the good times back to the King Power.
But the 35-year-old, still without a goal this season, could only manage a yellow card for a frustrated challenge on Guehi.
Palace too had struggled to get going themselves, but if anyone was going to spark them into life it looked like being Eze.
The former QPR man collected a pass from Edouard and fired it quickly back, the French striker then drawing a fine diving save from Danny Ward to tip the ball behind for a corner.
Not even Zaha, Palace’s talisman in a fine vein of form, could get things moving and he was hooked – much to his frustration – with 15 minutes remaining.
Leicester pushed for a late winner into four minutes of added time but Maddison had to resort to throwing himself to the floor under pressure from Luka Milovojevic.
Up went the cry for a penalty before the referee, Andy Madley, quickly booked him for simulation.
Speaking after the game, Rodgers was asked about Maddison being suspended for their next match.
To which he replied: “I think it is a frustration for him more than anyone because he wants to help the team and support the team.
“When you miss a player of that level, of course in the position we’re in we could do without it. But it is what it is.
“He is one of the most talented and creative players in the League.
“It is a shame but someone has to come in and do a job.
“You can’t judge him just on this game.
“I thought he had a good game, I thought he was really creative for us. He is a guy who is playing out of position for the team.
“His cleverness and brightness has still allowed us to be creative. He is a top player at this level.”
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A second clean sheet of the season for the worst defence in the Prem will be a silver lining for Rodgers, but after the false dawn of their solitary win over Nottingham Forest this hardly felt like a corner being turned.
And the fans felt the same. Boos rang around at the final whistle with small pockets calling to see the back of their manager.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
