Talking points from Leicester City’s 0-0 draw with Watford, looking at where it went right, the penalty miss, Patson Daka and Jamaal Lascelles’ performances, and more
Jordan Blackwell
13:37, 22 Mar 2026
Jamaal Lascelles applauds the Leicester City fans after the 0-0 draw with Watford(Image: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Very rarely this season has an opposition manager praised his own goalkeeper after facing Leicester City. In some ways, it tells the story of their campaign.
There have been many matches this term where City have not threatened enough and so not tested the gloves of the opposition number one. There’s also been quite a few games where they’ve scored stunning strikes, leaving the goalkeeper helpless.
In fact, Opta’s data suggests City’s finishing has been so good that they’ve scored 12 more goals than would be expected of the shots they’ve taken. Only Wrexham and Hull have overachieved more.
So it was unusual when Watford boss Ed Still lauded his goalkeeper Egil Selvik as “brilliant” in his post-match press conference, saying the Norwegian “won us a point”.
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It wasn’t that he performed miracles to keep City out, but he did stand firm. He dived the right way to tip Patson Daka’s penalty onto the post, he made himself big to deny Divine Mukasa from a tight angle, and he got his positioning spot on for Ben Nelson’s chance with the last kick of the game.
So while those saves weren’t physics-defying, they were a big part of the narrative of the game because there was so little happening at the other end.
City conceded just six shots, the fewest they’ve given up in a game this season. Jakub Stolarczyk was only tested with one effort, a stinging drive that he parried away.
This was comfortably City’s best defensive display of the season, and they probably created enough at the other end to merit the victory.
Certainly, if Nelson’s hooked shot in added time found the net, nobody would have been describing it as a smash-and-grab.
So that’s positive. Plus, of the six problems identified by Gary Rowett after the defeat to QPR last weekend, most were eradicated.
There were no defensive mistakes, the defensive structure was good, the late push for a goal showed both the energy and mentality was there. They were unpredictable enough in attack to fashion a few openings, what with Daka’s big headed chance too.
The only question mark is around consistency, but they won’t know if improvements have been made there until they step out to face Preston on Good Friday.
Had City been putting in these kinds of performances, especially defensively, throughout the season, they would not be in the trouble they are currently in.
Seven more goalless draws would unlikely keep City up. But play like this over the final month of the campaign, and they will have a chance.
Fans bemused by penalty decision but few other options available
Across England’s top four divisions, 46 of the 92 teams have been awarded at least four penalties this season. Of those 46, City have the worst conversion rate. That’s just two scored from five spot-kicks now, with the last three missed.
It’s not a good sign when the starting striker is placing the ball on the spot and there are fans asking: ‘Why is he taking it?’
Daka’s lack of form in front of goal did not inspire confidence. And while it wasn’t a dreadful penalty, neither was it particularly good. It wasn’t hit with lots of power, and wasn’t anywhere near to the corner. If Selvik was to dive the right way, he would have a very good chance of keeping it out.
Patson Daka’s penalty hit the post during the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford and Leicester City at Vicarage Road(Image: Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
But if Daka’s credentials were in question, who else could have taken it? Rowett said a three-man pecking order is decided for penalties based on players’ previous records.
Stephy Mavididi was the only other player on the pitch who has taken penalties outside of a shoot-out, scoring three from three during his time with City.
Daka had also netted three from three for City, albeit his record across his career was seven from nine.
Watching back Daka’s penalties for City, they were all well-taken, with power and accuracy. He’s not gone the same way every time either, so it wasn’t as if it was predictable. Even Selvik admitted his save was “instinctive” rather than based on research.
So despite Daka not instilling City fans with confidence, there’s little evidence to suggest it was a bad choice of taker.
Perhaps, given the pressure of the scenario City are in, they should have turned to someone like Jordan James, the club’s top scorer and a player with unwavering confidence and the right mentality.
But then again, had he stepped up and missed, there may have been questions as to why City were handing a penalty to someone who had never taken one.
What the miss does give City is something to work on during the international break.
Question should change villain narrative
That Daka followed up his penalty miss by putting his diving header wide from a few yards out meant he was the villain of the day for City.
There’s no doubt he should have done better, but there is a positive way to look at it, and it’s by asking a question. Which player is more likely to score next: the one who’s just missed a chance, or the one who didn’t have a chance at all?
Daka had 22 touches of the ball at Watford, double the amount Jordan Ayew had against QPR the previous weekend. Crucially, six of Daka’s touches came inside the penalty area, compared to Ayew’s zero.
City are only going to have a striker score goals if they get into the box and give central defenders something to think about. Having that option in the penalty area made City a better attacking threat.
For all of the concerns around his finishing, Daka at least plays as a striker. It is better for City to have a forward missing opportunities than not have them at all, because that’s a better indicator of future goals.
Patson Daka of Leicester City with James Abankwah of Watford(Image: Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Unremarkable showing draws out best display
It’s often said that a good referee is one you don’t notice. Maybe that’s true of centre-backs too.
It’s difficult to pick out any moments of particularly exceptional defending from Jamaal Lascelles and yet his return to the starting line-up coincided with City’s best rearguard performance of the season.
He didn’t really do the active parts of defending. The rest of City’s back four made three interceptions each, while Lascelles made none. Caleb Okoli and Luke Thomas both made more clearances and blocks than Lascelles did. Okoli won more headers too.
But maybe Lascelles didn’t have to be busy because his good positioning allowed him to get away without doing so.
Plus, in teasing Lascelles’ selection in midweek, Rowett said he makes team-mates better. That felt true too. Okoli and Thomas either side of him put in some of their best defensive performances of the season.
There probably does need to be a couple more games to confidently declare that this was Lascelles’ impact, but if City defend like this when he’s on the pitch, then he has to remain in the side.
Mid-table form needed for survival
That’s seven points from seven games under Rowett, which is an improvement on the seven games prior to his arrival, when City picked up just four points.
City have been harder to beat too. Only the top three and Southampton have lost fewer matches since he took charge.
In a table since Rowett stepped into the role, City are 19th. The form of a 19th-placed club across a full season obviously avoids relegation.
But this is the Championship. The clubs at the bottom pick up results at a much greater rate as the season heads towards its climax.
Because while City are 19th in the Rowett table, Oxford are 10th, West Brom are 13th and Blackburn are 18th. Of the relegation contenders, only Portsmouth are below City.
There were very few negatives at Vicarage Road. It felt like City produced a performance that will win them plenty of points if replicated.
But there will be concerns that that isn’t enough. To survive in the Championship, relegation battlers need to produce at least mid-table form over the final couple of months. So far, City aren’t quite doing that.
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