Leicester’s unexpected twist provides reminder of football’s new reality
One of the most remarkable stories in football now has another twist. Leicester City are relegated a mere seven years after winning this competition’s greatest title of all, their fate sealed by Abdoulaye Doucoure’s 57th-minute release at Everton. Dean Smith’s side had already done their job by going 2-0 up against West Ham United, which ensured this drastic fall for the club became one long wait. The pained anxiety of that manifested in three separate celebrations for Bournemouth goals at Goodison Park that hadn’t actually happened, their cheers quickly disrupted by frenzied checks of the phone. There was then the way the Everton game went on 10 minutes longer after a lengthy period of stoppage time. It just prolonged that hope, and made it even worse when confirmation finally came. As defeated-looking Leicester players checked their phones and then saluted the fans, West Ham United supporters celebrated that and their own forthcoming trip to Prague. It laid bare the cruelty of days like this, as memories of better days surrounded the whole stadium. Andrea Bocelli had famously sung “time to say goodbye” on that glorious evening back in May 2016, and while it presents a fitting line here, the goading West Ham fans were in no mood to be so poetic. “Going down” was the obvious one regularly sung, before the doubly cutting: “Say hello to Millwall! Say hello to Millwall!” It was in itself a reminder of the rarefied and glossy world that Leicester are leaving, so quickly going from the Premier League’s “model club” to an ultimate example of how quickly it can all fall apart in the game’s current economic landscape. The global economic landscape has played its part in that, with the Covid pandemic greatly affecting the owners’ duty-free business. That fed into a wider frustration within the club, that Brendan Rodgers made clear he was feeling from the very start of the season. It never really picked up. But none of that obscures the fact that Leicester have so many players that really shouldn’t have been in this situation at all. The line-up that has ultimately gone down - club legend Jamie Vardy symbolically starting on the bench - is one that should easily have been mid-table, and will now boost the squads of other Premier League teams. That, brutally, is no longer what Leicester are. And that despite having a better team than the one David Moyes started here to keep fresh for their Europa Conference final. It shouldn’t have gone this wrong. That was reflected in how there were a few boos when the final whistle went, even if they were drowned out by proud applause. It’s also more history in its own way. Leicester are the club to have the fifth-fastest relegation after winning a title since the second world war. In the Premier League, only Blackburn Rovers had it worse, at four years. It is quite a turn, that will now get more focus, but one of the issues was that there weren’t enough twists on this day itself. Leicester left themselves in too perilous a situation. The only real moment of drama was on 34 minutes, duly supplied by one of the players who is already most in demand. Harvey Barnes ran straight at the box to play a one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho, and then slide the ball past Lukasz Fabianski. It was a brilliant goal, and naturally produced a roar reminiscent of the day the Premier League trophy was presented here. It did put Leicester in a welcome if slightly strange position, though. They’d done their job, and just needed to hold firm, with all onus now on Everton. Even Leicester fans were watching the wrong game. There was a danger there as they lost urgency, until Wout Faes headed in a Youri Tielemans’s free-kick. By then, however, Everton had already scored. All of this was immaterial, including Pablo Fornals’s late goal. It was all dependent on one sudden twist. That is instead what this season has represented for Leicester. Nobody would have imagined it when they won the FA Cup just two years ago. They can still look to their dreams being fulfilled in 2016. They have had quite a run, beyond what many supporters get in a club’s entire history. It’s just that nobody expected it to be as brief as this. Leicester make history in another way. Their sensational story has a twist, albeit after no drama. Read More Why is BT Sport being rebranded to TNT Sports? Eurosport merger explained James Ward-Prowse, James Maddison and 16 Premier League transfer targets after relegation ‘It is theatre’: Inside the emotional chaos of a final-day Premier League relegation battle How the final day played out with Everton surviving relegation fight Relegation chances: What do Leeds, Everton and Leicester need to survive? Premier League relegation battle LIVE: Results and reaction as Everton survive
2023-05-29 02:28
CEO of Fortnite game maker casts Google as a 'crooked' bully in testimony during Android app trial
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has portrayed Google as a ruthless bully that resorts to shady tactics to protect a predatory payment system
2023-11-21 09:19
A company cancels its plans to recover more Titanic artifacts. Its renowned expert died on the Titan
The company that owns the salvage rights to the Titanic said it has cancelled plans to retrieve artifacts from the shipwreck
2023-10-12 05:15
When will 'Shark Tank' Season 15 Episode 4 air? From Paddlesmash to Monosuit, entrepreneurs pitch unique products
'Shark Tank' Season 15, Episode 4 is all set to deliver four unique product pitches deserving of an investment
2023-10-14 09:18
Crime thriller steals best pic at Bollywood awards in UAE
Crime thriller "Drishyam 2" was crowned best picture as Bollywood glossed over its recent struggles with a high-octane International Indian Film Academy Awards show...
2023-05-28 06:48
Trump former aide surrenders at Georgia jail in election case
WASHINGTON Scott Hall, a former aide to Donald Trump who was indicted in Georgia alongside the ex-U.S. President
2023-08-22 21:18
Who is Anthony Chickillo's girlfriend? Ex-Steelers linebacker tased by cops after violent episode in hospital
Anthony Chickillo had a violent episode in a Florida hospital and his girlfriend claimed it was because he suffers from bipolar disorder
2023-10-08 17:18
GameStop shares climb on strong volume
Shares of retail traders' darling GameStop jumped 12.5% in strong premarket trading volume on Wednesday, looking to build
2023-11-29 19:47
Italy in markets' crosshairs as Meloni readies difficult budget
By Gavin Jones and Valentina Za ROME (Reuters) -Italy is under growing market scrutiny as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni prepares
2023-09-26 15:22
What were the charges against Lacey Ellen Fletcher’s parents? Couple reindicted over autistic daughter's death
The couple was initially arrested on second-degree murder charges after Fletcher’s decomposed body was found 'fused' to the sofa in her family's home
2023-06-27 19:53
First Nations flags to be flown at women's World Cup stadiums
Flags representing Aboriginal and Maori people will be flown at stadiums hosting women's World Cup matches in Australia and New Zealand after FIFA agreed...
2023-07-07 10:45
New California Assembly speaker pledges to tackle the state's biggest issues
Assemblymember Robert Rivas has been sworn in as the next speaker of California's state Assembly
2023-07-01 05:48
You Might Like...
Wife of ex-Alaska Airlines pilot says she's in shock after averted Horizon Air disaster
BNSF is Prepared for Intermodal Volume Increases Through the West Coast
US doctors forced to ration as cancer drug shortages hit nationwide
Scientists think there could be an 'anti-universe’ where time runs backwards
Receiver-strapped Lions waive injured Denzel Mims and sign former Chargers wide receiver Jason Moore
China keeps lending benchmarks unchanged; economic weakness tests policymakers
Logan Paul and Jake Paul open about their feud, Problem Child says ‘didn’t want that conversation to air’
China's influence in C.America advances at a gallop
