Having won three successive league games before today, Leicester fans could have been forgiven for being a little nervous when today's team news was announced. Miquel, Wasilewski, Hammond, King and Taylor-Fletcher all came in, with only one of these changes forced as a result of Vardy's suspension. Add to this Leicester's poor record at the New Den in recent years and it is fair to say that many fans felt that a draw would have been a good result. How satisfying then that City won their 7th away league game of the season (one more than they managed in the whole of last term) and maintained their four point lead at the top of the Championship table. These are the kind of matches that, with a hostile crowd and difficult playing conditions, will define Leicester's season.
The game could hardly have started better for the Foxes. In the sixth minute, Knockaert seized on a loose ball, dribbled to the edge of the box and fired a left footed shot into the bottom corner of the net. For the remainder of the first half, Millwall dominated possession but the Foxes restricted them to shots from distance, which Schmeichel was more than equal to. Early in the second half, Nugent doubled Leicester's advantage. Taylor-Fletcher broke the offside trap to close in on goal, but a poor touch from the former Blackpool striker forced him wide of the goal. Fortunately, he still had the presence of mind to clip a left footed cross to Nugent, who headed home the easiest of chances from two yards - his 13th goal of the season.
At that point, it seemed as though the Foxes would have an easy end to their afternoon. However, Millwall's Chaplow scrambled in a scrappy goal in the 68th minute to give the Foxes a nervous finale. In injury time, substitute Jeff Schlupp put the result beyond doubt. A superb pass from Knockaert played Schlupp in on goal and the German born striker finished in composed fashion, sliding the ball through the goalkeeper's legs with his weaker right foot. It completed a 3-1 victory - the perfect start to 2014. With 22 matches remaining, City need 12 victories and 5 draws to reach 92 points. That tally would have secured promotion to the Premier League in each of the last 15 seasons. Surely, it is within Leicester's grasp this season?
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