Leicester City manager Steve Cooper was visibly upset following a dramatic late loss to Arsenal, where two late goals denied his team a well-deserved draw at the Emirates Stadium. After trailing by two goals, Leicester fought back thanks to James Justin’s two goals, but Arsenal’s late flurry left them with nothing.
Despite a resolute defensive effort, Leicester conceded an own goal when Wilfred Ndidi accidentally redirected the ball into his own net. Kai Havertz added a fourth for Arsenal in the final moments, confirming Leicester’s defeat.
After the match, Cooper expressed his frustration over two crucial refereeing calls. He felt his team should have received a free-kick before Arsenal’s opening goal and was shown a yellow card for protesting what he believed was a foul. Additionally, he argued that Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori was fortunate not to receive a second yellow card for a foul on Facundo Buonanotte.
“It’s disappointing to concede typical Arsenal goals after we worked so hard to avoid those situations,” Cooper commented. “I don’t want to dwell on the officiating, but there was a clear foul on Jamie Vardy before their first goal, and their left-back should have been sent off for a second yellow.”
In a press conference covered by *LeicestershireLive*, Cooper reiterated his concerns, saying: “We were let down by the lack of a foul call on Vardy, and while we don’t aim for players to be sent off, it’s puzzling that Calafiori wasn’t dismissed.”
Despite the disappointment, Cooper remained optimistic, praising his team’s resilience, particularly in the second half. “It’s tough to accept, but I’m proud of our performance after the break. We scored early in the second half to level at 2-2, but luck wasn’t in our favor.”
Reflecting on the loss, Cooper remained hopeful: “It’s another defeat, but there’s plenty to build on. The second half had many positives, and we need to keep pushing forward.”
