CLAUDIO RANIERI breathed a huge sigh of relief after his Leicester side progressed into the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of Derby.
But the Foxes, who this week gave a vote of confidence in Italian boss Ranieri, needed extra time to secure a 3-1 win against their Championship opponents.
And it was Demarai Gray who proved the inspiration for the Premier League strugglers, capping a vibrant performance with his side’s third goal.
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After a dour first half, that BBC pundit Alan Shearer actually described as “blooming awful”, it was the home fans that were cheering just one minute into the second period.
Gray worked an opening out wide, and his cross was flicked back into the danger zone by Marc Albrighton and Andy King plundered a header into the net.
But the home fans were silenced in the 61st minute when Championship outfit Derby were back level – albeit fortuitously.
Julien De Sart rolled a free kick into Abdoul Camara’s path, and his drilled effort took a wicked deflection off Ben Chilwell to wrong-foot Foxes keeper Ron-Robert Zieler and into the goal.
There was a huge talking point in the 83rd minute when Leicester striker Ahmed Musa outpaced Derby’s backline, and was one-on-one with Derby keeper Jonathan Mitchell.
Musa’s flick then hit Mitchell’s outstretched hand a long way outside his box, but inexplicably the referee and his assistants failed to spot it and Mitchell breathed again after escaping a straight red.
The game went into extra time, and just shy of five minutes in, hosts Leicester went ahead, and boss Ranieri will take some credit.
He introduced 20-year-old Wilfred Ndidi after the 90 was up for Nampalys Mendy, and it was he who rocketed his team into the lead with a 20-yard banger that hit the post and went in.
Gray sealed the Foxes passage into the fifth round, and a tie against Millwall, to ease some of the pressure that has been building on Ranieri.
It was a sublime individual effort, bamboozling the Derby defence before curling the ball past Mitchell and into the goal.
After the first meeting in the competition between the two finished 2-2, this victory will come as a huge relief for under-fire Foxes boss Ranieri.
Stats, facts lols and goals
- The BBC were here to screen one of the most glamorous ‘RESERVE’ games ever shown on live TV as Claudio Ranieri and Steve McClaren made EIGHTEEN changes between them!
- At least the fans turned up and the King Power was packed. Take a bow Foxes fans and the Rams’ 5,000 travelling support for taking the tie seriously.
- Some spectators had really put in the extra mile to support their team. Foxes Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha kept his promise to attend and give his personal backing to Claudio Ranieri – a mere 12,000-mile round trip!
- Fortunately the duty-free tycoon doesn’t have a boss checking to see when he finally clocks in to his Bangkok HQ tomorrow!
- Derby’s support were quick to offer some neighbourly support for their troubled East Midlands comrades, chanting: “Champions League to the Championship!” Ouch!
- They may have sent shadow teams out to save weary legs ahead of this weekend’s crucial league fixtures. But no-one could accuse Ranieri or McClaren of not caring as they prowled their technical areas, kicking every ball.
- However despite their efforts we all feared we were in for the Yawn haul after a mundane first half which saw Leicester denied a couple of soft penalty claims, while Derby only tested Ron-Robert Zieler with the final shot of the first 45 minutes.
- Thankfully the Foxes flew out of the traps after the break as Andy King nodded them in front within a minute of the restart. Game on … at last!
- Claudio Ranier’s name rang out around the King Power Stadium again and the grateful Italian responded by applauding his fans. What a difference a goal makes!
- However, typical of his luck right now Derby soon drew level when Abdoul Camara’s free kick crashed off Ben Chilwell and was diverted into the net beyond Ron-Robert Zieler.
- The big question at that point was would Ranieri’s Foxes fold or live up to last season’s #Fearless marketing slogan?
Social says
Premier League Champions?
Last 16 of the Champions League?
Last 16 of the FA Cup? #lcfc #Ranieri pic.twitter.com/BmHb0TkzFR— Claudio Ranieri
(@DonRanieri) February 8, 2017
What they said:
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri: “They made me feel good because some people said nobody chants for me! This win wasn’t just important for me but it’s important for Leicester.
“I speak for the club and this is a very important victory to go through to the next round of the Cup and gain confidence.”
Ranieri added: “I want to say thanks to the fans because they supported the players a lot. It’s nice for me because it shows we are strong together.
“I ask for their support every time — not for me but for the players, because they fight on the pitch and sometimes fight too much without results.
“But they always give their maximum.”
Derby boss Steve McClaren said: “Our main focus is the Championship and a play-off place. We didn’t need this replay. I don’t think Leicester needed this replay.
“Maybe the FA have to look at this competition and say, ‘Let’s just have one tie’, because nobody wanted this replay — you could see that.”
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