Wilfred Ndidi endured a frustrating night as Leicester City fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to Brentford on Friday, further deepening their relegation woes.
The Nigerian midfielder, making his third consecutive start since returning from injury, was largely ineffective in midfield as the Foxes failed to impose themselves at the King Power.
Playing in a double pivot alongside Boubakary Soumaré in a 4-2-3-1 setup, Ndidi was unable to shield the defence or dictate play, contributing to Leicester’s continued struggles.
The Foxes have now lost nine of their last ten league matches, collecting just one win in that period. Sitting 19th in the Premier League with 17 points from 26 games, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side are staring at relegation back to the Championship.
Brentford, meanwhile, continued their strong away form, winning four and drawing one of their last five road matches. They ruthlessly exposed Leicester’s vulnerabilities, leaving the hosts with little hope of turning their season around.
Ndidi’s night in numbers
Ndidi lasted 77 minutes before being replaced by Oliver Skipp, recording 41 touches and completing 23 of his 29 passes (79%). The 28-year-old failed to register a single key pass, shot on target, or successful dribble. He delivered two crosses, both unsuccessful, and managed just one accurate long ball from two attempts.
Defensively, he won three of his seven ground duels and one of his two aerial duels, while also making two clearances. However, he lost possession 10 times and committed two fouls.
At the start of the season, Ndidi was one of Leicester’s top performers, registering four assists in his first six games. However, his influence waned as the team’s form declined, and an injury in December sidelined him for two months.
This season, he has featured in 16 games, starting all, averaging 82 minutes per appearance. His defensive contributions, 3.1 tackles and 4.3 ball recoveries per game remain solid..
