Puel defends selection after Leicester suffer shock exit

Posted Monday, January 07, 2019 by PA

Claude Puel defended his team selection after Leicester crashed out of the FA Cup at Newport.

Padraig Amond’s 85th-minute penalty after Marc Albrighton had handled secured Newport’s shock 2-1 victory, and saw Leicester become the highest-profile Premier League casualties on third-round weekend.

Leicester manager Puel – who was sharply criticised for naming a weakened side when the Foxes suffered a Carabao Cup quarter-final exit to makeshift Manchester City opponents last month – had made seven changes from the side which won at Everton on New Year’s Day.

Full marks to the @NewportCounty mascot – he even collected the corner flags at full-time! #bbcfacup #FACup #NEWLEI pic.twitter.com/zOD0XdLp2L
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 6, 2019

England internationals Jamie Vardy, Harry Maguire and Ben Chilwell were among those missing, but Puel said: “I think we had a good team with eight who played winning the title with Leicester, and a lot of experienced players and quality on the pitch.

“I think we had enough quality on the pitch to qualify, I don’t want to look for excuses about this.

“I think we lost together, we are all together disappointed and frustrated after this game, because it was an objective for us. This competition was important.”

Amond’s coolly-struck winner came just four minutes after Rachid Ghezzal appeared to have spared Leicester’s blushes with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.

What a finish to this game!
You''ve got to ❤️ the #FACup.https://t.co/V3cewGeZVp pic.twitter.com/509vo5z0cp
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) January 6, 2019

Leicester had trailed from the 10th minute, Jamille Matt heading home Robbie Willmott’s superb cross, and the Foxes passed up several opportunities to equalise before Ghezzal’s strike.

“We had a lot of chances in the first half, second half sometimes without the clinical edge, sometimes unlucky,” Puel said.

“We did the most difficult thing to come back into the game with a goal from Rachid.

A night to forget as Leicester City exit the FA Cup after a 2-1 defeat at Newport County. #NwpLei pic.twitter.com/jwse2G0xje
— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 6, 2019

“Of course it’s harsh to concede this penalty just at the end. It’s tough.

“A lot of disappointment and frustration, but it’s a cup game and we didn’t find the solution to score more goals.”

Newport, 13th in Sky Bet League Two and 74 places below Leicester on the football pyramid, knocked out Leeds in the third round last season and held Tottenham at home before losing a Wembley replay.

But this was the first time the Welsh side had beaten top-flight opposition in the FA Cup since downing Sheffield Wednesday in 1964.