Leicester City’s remarkable 288-game streak ends in disappointing fashion
Leicester City secured their first win against Bournemouth, but the afternoon wasn’t flawless as their 288-game streak came to an end.
Facundo Buonanotte’s first-half goal secured Leicester City’s first Premier League win of the season, easing some of the pressure on manager Steve Cooper.
This crucial victory came just before a tough stretch of fixtures following the October international break, giving the East Midlands club a chance to distance themselves from the relegation zone.
Despite the positive result at the King Power Stadium, there was a bittersweet moment as an impressive six-year streak came to an end.
For the first time in six years, Leicester City failed to name an academy graduate in their matchday squad.
The club has a strong tradition of developing young talent, with players like Ben Chilwell, Harvey Barnes, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall emerging from their academy.
Current players Hamza Choudhury, Kasey McAteer, and Will Alves are products of the same system, with Choudhury responsible for starting the streak.
Choudhury’s appearance in the 2018 League Cup quarter-final against Manchester City kicked off a 288-game run in which at least one academy player was named in every matchday squad.
Unfortunately, his recent injury saw him excluded from last weekend’s squad, ending the streak.
This came just weeks after a separate 147-game run, where an academy player featured on the pitch, was also halted during the match against Everton.
Some fans expressed disappointment over the end of this record, questioning why Cooper didn’t use one of the nine bench spots for an academy player to keep the streak alive.
Looking ahead, Leicester City’s focus shifts from history to their upcoming battle for survival.
The next challenge is a crucial relegation clash against Southampton, and a victory on the road would mark a significant step forward.
Back-to-back league wins could help boost Cooper’s standing with the fanbase, and he’s determined to keep the momentum going.
Cooper acknowledged the relief after the win, saying, “I’ve seen many wins here; I would have loved for it to happen sooner.
We could have done some things better, but we’ve also been unlucky. I’m just glad everything worked out today.”
He added, “It’s great to win, but we have a lot of work ahead to become a strong force.
With the international break, we’ll keep working and be completely obsessed with beating Southampton in a couple of weeks.”
