The manager reacts after his side’s 1-0 defeat to Swansea, discussing the Zan Vipotnik’s goal, his players’ response, and the importance of next week’s trip to Portsmouth
18:47, 11 Apr 2026Updated 19:15, 11 Apr 2026
Abdul Fatawu Leicester City with Melker Widell of Swansea City
A “silly and irresponsible” moment and a lack of “desperation” has plunged Leicester City into must-win territory, manager Gary Rowett has said.
City fell to 23rd in the Championship table and now sit four points from safety after Saturday’s home defeat to Swansea.
The game was settled by Zan Vipotnik’s finish early in the second half, the goal coming from a City free-kick deep in the Swansea half.
Divine Mukasa did not follow team instructions to get the ball in the box, instead opting for a short pass, with Eom Ji-sung intercepting and running up the pitch to tee up Vipotnik.
Even with 35 minutes to respond, City looked defeated and barely mustered a response, Rowett saying his team were not “desperate” enough to get back into the game.
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It increases the pressure around the trip to Portsmouth next weekend. An already huge game now has even more riding on it.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve said it, we give a stupid goal away,” Rowett said. “It’s an absolutely ridiculous goal to give away. It’s never on for a quick one to the edge of the box. You have to just put the ball in the box. We have to go back to basics.
“The players sensed it was on and they decided it. I’m not trying to blame them, but it just wasn’t that moment. We give it away and they run 80 metres up the pitch and score. We have opportunities to stop them and defend it.
“To give a goal away like that, it’s not only hugely frustrating but when you’ve done it so many times, it’s heartbreaking to see. Your whole plan goes out of the window in that one moment. That was a silly, irresponsible moment and one we’ve done too many times.
“What I would say is that we didn’t react well enough after that. We were very poor for the last half an hour. We made different changes. I don’t think anything made a difference. I just felt we lost our way a little bit.
“We did create some moments, but not enough. Certainly our reaction after conceding the goal was not what you’d expect to see when you’re fighting for your lives down at the bottom end of the table.
“I still think we’re trying but in a different way to one that looks absolutely desperate.
“If that game is 0-0 in the 80th minute, then it’s still there and the team still believe, the crowd still believe, and you have a chance to see if you can nick one. But we gave ourselves a mountain to climb at the wrong time of the game. That’s been incredibly damaging.
“We’ve got to show more fight, we’ve got to show more desperation afterwards. But it did look when we conceded that everyone went: ‘How are we going to score two?’
“I said to the players. The next game is going to define a lot. It’s not just the players and the staff. It’s a lot of other people around the club. It’s the fans. It means so much to everyone.
“We have to start fighting like it really matters. Next week in my opinion is a must-win game.”
Portsmouth moved four points clear of City thanks to a 97th-minute winner at Middlesbrough, while Oxford maintained their hopes with a 2-0 win over Watford.
Blackburn and West Brom also picked up a point each over the weekend, meaning City were the only relegation battler to fail to earn a result.
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