LONDON • Leicester's bid to make the Champions League for only the second time after their miraculous 2015-16 title-winning season fell apart in the final third of last season as they finished four points off the top four.
The Foxes are still in third place on 49 points, but after losing 3-1 at home to Arsenal yesterday and seeing their lengthy injury list grow even longer, there are fears a similar collapse could happen again.
Youri Tielemans opened the scoring for the hosts but the visitors hit back via David Luiz, Alexandre Lacazette's penalty and Nicolas Pepe.
This was Leicester's second blow in three days after exiting the Europa League in the round of 32 to Slavia Prague and to make matters worse, manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed in-form winger Harvey Barnes would miss the next six weeks at the minimum.
The England international, who has scored seven goals since December, was stretchered off minutes into the second half and the Ulsterman revealed that he would undergo knee surgery, labelling his injury a "huge blow".
Barnes now joins James Maddison, James Justin, Ayoze Perez, Dennis Praet, Wesley Fofana and Wes Morgan on the sidelines.
However, Rodgers is hopeful that Leicester's season - they host Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 21 - does not peter out.
"It's been unfortunate (the injuries) but it's the uniqueness of the season," he said. "We haven't cried about it all season, we're not going to start now.
"We have to find a way with the players that we have. The players have been on a brilliant run over the course of the season.
"Twelve (league) games to go, those influential players are out. The challenge is to find a way to keep going.
"Credit to our players, they kept working and gave everything. We just lost to the better team today."
While Leicester lost consecutive matches for the first time since December, Arsenal's first league win against Rodgers' men since October 2018 could revive their hopes of playing in European competition next season.
The Gunners are in 10th spot, 12 points behind the Foxes, but having recorded their first away victory against a team in the top three since January 2015 to follow up their progression to the last 16 of the Europa League, manager Mikel Arteta feels they can turn around what has been an underwhelming league campaign.
"It's unacceptable the position we are in. We have to improve this dramatically. The only way we can do that is to win games," the Spaniard said.
"Considering the level we were facing, to do what we've done today, the players deserve a lot of credit. I'm really proud of my players.
"Coming into this game, I was concerned; we've played a lot of games. But let's not talk about fatigue. We just got on with it.
"They're one of the most dangerous teams in the league to play once you go behind against them. The reaction was terrific, the team looked really mature. We played some excellent stuff."
Arteta rotated his squad, leaving key men like Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench at the King Power Stadium, but their replacements, in particular Pepe and Willian, impressed.
On his fringe players stepping up, Arteta said: "He (Willian) was really good today, but we have seen that in training in the last few weeks. I think he is revealing himself.
"He is not accepting the (bench) situation. I think he was the player who changed the game against Benfica and today I think he was terrific.
"Nicolas Pepe has been really consistent. This is what we want from him."
REUTERS
