Leicester City
Derby County’s Under-23s fell to a 2-0 defeat against an impressive Leicester City at Pride Park Stadium in Premier League 2 – Division One, as Darren Bent and Mason Bennett played their first minutes after long-term injuries.
Bennett started on the left-wing with Bent in his familiar role up-front, but goals from Josh Knight and Lamine Sherrif secured the three points for the visitors.
Max Lowe, Jamie Hanson and Ikechi Anya also started for an experienced Rams side.
The Foxes tried to impose their high-tempo style from the first minute and they pressed high whenever Derby were in possession.
There were some nervy moments as Derby were almost caught in possession on a couple of occasions, but they got into their stride and created the first chance of the game with 18 minutes gone.
Ikechi Anya was having a great battle with the Leicester left-back Connor Wood but he found himself in a central area to meet Max Lowe’s cross, but his volleyed effort was comfortably saved by Eldin Jakupovic.
The visitors went on to take the lead five minutes later and it came from a corner, as a scramble in the box fell to Knight who powerfully struck home from six yards.
It should have been two just before half time, Knight’s fellow centre-back Sam Hughes won the initial header and Ahmed Musa, a club-record signing in 2016, inexplicably hit the bar from three yards.
Leicester did double their lead just four minutes after the break, with Musa’s cross being met delightfully by holding midfielder Sherrif, who struck powerfully beyond Josh Barnes from just outside the box.
Alex Babos tried his luck from range as Derby tried to claw themselves back into the game, but Jakupovic got down well to his right to keep out the low drive.
Goalscorer Sherrif was sent off with 86 minutes gone after picking up a second yellow card, but the Rams just couldn’t break through the Foxes’ solid defensive shape as time ran out.
Derby County: Barnes; Bogle, Bateman, Macdonald, Lowe; Guy, Hanson (Cover, 66’); Anya (Zanzala, 77), Babos, Bennett (Jakobsen, 85’); Bent.
Substitutes not used: Ravas, Walker.
Leicester City: Jakupovic; Pascanu, Hughes, Knight, Wood; Choudhury, Sherrif, Thomas; Musa (Johnson, 87’), Muskwe (Eppiah, 75’), Gordon (Dewsbury-Hall, 79’).
Substitutes not used: Bramley, Martis.
Derby were still in the game at the break but Leicester took control with a stunning strike to make it 2-0 just after half-time.
Musa showed his pace to burst down the line before pulling a floated ball back to Sheriff, whose first time shot gave Barnes absolutely no chance.
Darren Wassall picked out Callum Guy as the outstanding player in the Under-23s’ 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest earlier this month, and the midfielder impressed again here.
Leicester were tenacious in style but Guy had no problem matching up to the physicality of his opponents, as he displayed quality in possession and rode challenges to move his team up the pitch.
The Rams now face three home games in succession in three different competitions.
First, Middlesbrough come to St George’s Park in the Premier League Cup on Friday 1st December, before Everton are the visitors back at Pride Park in the Premier League International Cup on Tuesday 5th December.
Finally, Derby face Chelsea in Premier League 2 – Division One at St George’s Park on Monday 11th December.
