Leicester City’s miserable run of form continued as they fell 1-0 to Millwall at The Den, with Femi Azeez’s first-half goal proving enough to separate the sides. The result leaves the Foxes winless in four and piles even more pressure on Marti Cifuentes, whose position as manager is now under serious scrutiny.
Millwall, who came into the contest in third place, made just one alteration to the side that defeated Stoke City 2-0 on Tuesday, with Luke Cundle coming in for the injured Will Smallbone. Leicester, meanwhile, named a strong XI as they sought to rediscover their rhythm after another frustrating week.
The visitors began on the front foot. In the ninth minute, Jordan Ayew linked up neatly with Aaron Ramsey, whose close-range shot was denied by Millwall goalkeeper Matija Sarkic. That early chance, however, was as good as it got for Leicester.
The home side soon grew into the game. In the 18th minute, Casper De Norre drove forward after winning possession in midfield and released Femi Azeez, whose low effort was smartly stopped by Jakub Stolarczyk.
Leicester had their moments, including a half-chance in the 38th minute when Abdul Fatawu sprinted clear but blazed his shot high and wide. Yet it was Millwall who struck first — and decisively — just before half-time.
De Norre launched a precise ball over the top from just beyond halfway, finding Azeez, who shrugged off Luke Thomas before lifting a composed finish over Stolarczyk to make it 1-0. The goal was greeted by a roar from The Den, while Leicester’s defence looked stunned.
After the restart, Millwall continued to threaten and were handed a golden opportunity to double their advantage when Harry Winks tripped Azeez inside the box. Mihailo Ivanovic stepped up but saw his penalty brilliantly saved by Stolarczyk, keeping Leicester’s faint hopes alive.
In the 75th minute, the Foxes came agonisingly close to levelling. A long throw from Caleb Okoli reached Wout Faes, who flicked it on to Julian Carranza — the striker attempted an audacious overhead kick that drifted narrowly wide of the post.
Despite late pressure, Millwall’s defence stood firm, frustrating Leicester’s attempts to salvage a point. When the final whistle blew, sections of the travelling supporters voiced their anger — boos rang out from the away end.
Then came the moment that summed up the mood entirely. As the fans jeered, captain Jannik Vestergaard turned away and walked straight down the tunnel, armband on, without acknowledging the crowd. For many Foxes fans, it was a symbolic gesture — a reflection of a team and manager who appear disconnected from the passionate base that follows them.
Millwall now march on with four consecutive wins and a growing sense of belief in their playoff ambitions. Leicester, on the other hand, face a crisis of confidence, leadership, and direction — and after tonight, it truly feels like the beginning of the end for Marti Cifuentes.