Brighton boss says team will keep fighting after heavy defeat at Leicester City

Brighton boss Graham PotterBrighton boss Graham Potter
Brighton boss Graham Potter
Brighton boss Graham Potter was left disappointed after the 3-0 thrashing to Leicester City but said his side is still fighting to improve and that they must keep going

Potter said after the game: "Disappointing. The box is where it matters and Leicester were better than us.

"We stuck at it in the second half but clearly over the course of the 90 minutes not good enough to get something from the game.

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"In the end they were a little bit too good for us and sometimes that happens.

"That is our 12th game, we are quite early on in the season so we have a lot of time but we know we are fighting to improve, fighting for points. We are going to keep humble and keep going."

Leicester ran out 3-0 winners against Brighton at the King Power Stadium thanks to a devastating first-half display, which included a brace from James Maddison either side of a classic poacher's finish from Jamie Vardy.

The result elevates Brendan Rodger's men into the Champions League places and one point off league leaders Tottenham Hotspur, while Graham Potter's side lingers two points off the relegation zone in 16th place.

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The Foxes had the first good opportunity through Vardy when he hit the post after good play from Youri Tielemans and James Justin - and it sparked an onslaught of chances from there on.

A minute later (27') James Maddison fired The Foxes in front, after more good work from Justin on the wing, when he met a loose ball in the Brighton box with a composed one-touch finish to slot past Maty Ryan at his near post.

The Foxes then had their tails up and started to slice through Brighton with passes zipped across the slippery pitch and in behind the Brighton defence, particularly targeting Dan Burn on the left hand side.

Brendan Rodgers' men doubled their lead in the 41st minute when Perez produced a lovely cushioned touch in the centre of the pitch to bring the ball down and then release Justin on the right-wing again.

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The marauding full-back didn't have to break his stride to fire a first-time low cross into the box for Vardy, who stabbed a left-footed effort past Ryan to make it 2-0.

The goal, however, was reviewed by VAR and, to much of the limited crowd's surprise, was given, even though it appeared Vardy was slightly offside.

Brighton were under the cosh, with Leicester looking stronger in the air, quicker across the ground, sharper in their passing, more aggressive in their pressing and all round more positive in their play.

This pressure was turned into a third goal by Leicester in the 44th minute. Maddison opened his box of tricks full of twists, turns and step-overs to bamboozle Dan Burn, who should have got closer to his man, and finished it of with cultured left-footed, curling effort into the far corner of Ryan's goal.

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The first decent chance of the second half came from Christian Fuchs in the 70th minute after the Austrian picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and fired a fierce left-footed effort at Ryan's goal, but the keeper had enough time to see it coming and palmed the ball away.

The Foxes had done the damage in the first half and looked like they dropped down to second gear in the second.

Brighton never really looked like scoring, for all the set-pieces Pascal Gross whipped in, or the attempted through balls into the strikers, the impressive Leicester unit was there to block, intercept and generally snuff out any danger.

The Albion's next game, which could prove to be a six-pointer, is against Fulham on Wednesday night, who are two places below Brighton.

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Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said after the game: "We knew this would be a real test. I enjoyed the game from a technical perspective. Graham Potter sets his teams up well. We were surprised and had to change after 20 minutes.

"With a bit more quality we could have scored one or two more. But overall we're delighted with the performance and the result.

"Still lots to improve. We've got a lot of young players playing. They're a joy to work with. The table starts to take shape.

"Jamie Vardy is a wonderful player. He reminds me of Luis Suarez, how he gives the team such a lift - such a catalyst. He doesn't need many touches. He trains every day. He looks after his body. He's super professional."

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