Leicester City 1, West Brom 2: Claudio Ranieri cites Champions League exertions for loss of 20-match unbeaten home record
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri blamed an over-focus on the club’s Champions League campaign for the surrendering of their 20-game unbeaten Premier League record in a 2-1 reverse against West Brom.
Club-record £29m striker Islam Slimani had hauled the Foxes level after James Morrison’s second-half opener, only for Matty Phillips to take advantage of a woeful Danny Drinkwater backpass to seal victory for the Baggies.
A fifth league defeat of the season saw defending champions Leicester plummet to 14th, only two points clear of relegation, while West Brom moved to 11th.
“Maybe we paid too much attention to the Champions League match [against FC Copenhagen],” said Ranieri. “We were also a little unlucky.
“I don’t know what was wrong. I had to speak with my players [at half time] and we spoke about something to do, but it wasn’t easy to try and win the match.”
Relegation-threatened Hull, meanwhile, ended a six-match losing streak with a 2-1 triumph over Southampton as Mike Phelan earned his first three points since landing the Tigers job on a permanent basis.
Saints striker Charlie Austin converted a sixth-minute penalty, only for substitute Robert Snodrass to level matters shortly after the hour mark, paving the way for ex-Tottenham centre-half Michael Dawson to head a much-needed winner.