Derby County 1-3 Leicester City: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Derby County 1-3 Leicester City in the Championship on Saturday, 06 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Leicester City beat Derby County 3-1 in this Championship clash at Pride Park. The visitors got off to a flying start when Bobby De Cordova-Reid opened the scoring in the 8th minute, assisted by Jordan James, and they doubled their lead soon after with Oliver Skipp finding the net in the 15th. Jordan James then made it three before the break, slotting home in the 31st minute with an assist from Luke Thomas, putting Leicester in a commanding position as Derby struggled to respond in the first half.

Derby came out stronger after the interval, with substitutions at half-time injecting some energy, and they pulled one back through Sondre Langås in the 63rd minute, assisted by Joe Ward. Despite pushing hard in the second half, Derby couldn’t find more goals, and Leicester held firm to secure the win. Coming off a mixed run with two recent losses, this defeat leaves Derby looking to bounce back, while Leicester’s victory ends a couple of defeats and boosts their momentum.

Derby County dominated possession with 61% of the ball compared to Leicester’s 39%, suggesting they controlled much of the play, especially in the second half, but struggled to convert that into clear chances. Leicester, on the other hand, looked sharper on the counter with more successful dribbles at 46 to Derby’s 40, and they made the most of their fewer corners, just two against Derby’s six, by being clinical in front of goal. Both sides used all five substitutions, with Derby making two at half-time to try and turn the tide, and Leicester bringing on fresh legs later to see out the game, while assists went Leicester’s way with two to Derby’s one, highlighting their better teamwork in attack.

Discipline-wise, Derby picked up three yellow cards to Leicester’s two, which might have disrupted their rhythm without any reds to change the numbers on the pitch. There were no penalties or injury-time goals to swing things late on, so the match was decided by those early strikes and Derby’s lone reply.

Leicester struck early and often in the first half, with Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s goal in the 8th, assisted by Jordan James, setting the tone, followed by Oliver Skipp’s effort in the 15th and Jordan James adding a third in the 31st, assisted by Luke Thomas, which really put Derby on the back foot. Derby’s yellow cards to Ebou Adams in the 22nd and Sondre Langås in the 24th didn’t help their cause, and half-time changes saw Liam Thompson replace Ebou Adams and Andreas Weimann come on for Lars-Jørgen Salvesen to try sparking a comeback.

The hosts did get on the scoresheet when Sondre Langås scored in the 63rd, with Joe Ward providing the assist, and further subs like Kayden Jackson replacing Dion Sanderson and Corey Blackett-Taylor coming on for Ben Brereton Díaz in the 66th kept the pressure on. Leicester had their own bookings, with Jannik Vestergaard in the 19th and Bobby De Cordova-Reid in the 64th, leading to Hamza Choudhury replacing De Cordova-Reid in the 65th, and late changes like Patson Daka for Issahaku Fatawu in the 78th helped them manage the closing stages effectively.

Derby County lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, looking to balance defence and attack with partnerships like Sondre Langås pushing forward to score their goal, while Joe Ward provided key service with his assist. Players such as Ebou Adams and Lars-Jørgen Salvesen started but were replaced at half-time by Liam Thompson and Andreas Weimann respectively, and later changes saw Kayden Jackson come on for Dion Sanderson, Corey Blackett-Taylor for Ben Brereton Díaz, and Curtis Nelson replace Callum Elder in stoppage time.

Leicester City set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, allowing creative players like Jordan James to shine with his goal and assist, supported by Luke Thomas in build-up play. Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Oliver Skipp were key in the early goals, with De Cordova-Reid later replaced by Hamza Choudhury in the 65th, and further subs included Patson Daka for Issahaku Fatawu and Silko Thomas for Jordan Ayew in the 78th, plus Louis Page for Jordan James and Olabade Aluko for Stephy Mavididi in the 87th to freshen things up.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Jordan James, who was outstanding for Leicester City with his goal in the 31st minute and an assist for Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s opener, plus creating a big chance and making a key pass that kept the visitors in control. His all-round performance in midfield helped dictate the game’s tempo, especially in that dominant first half.

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 1-3 vs Leicester City (H)
• Loss: 1-2 vs Middlesbrough (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Swansea City (A)
• Loss: 2-3 vs Watford (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Blackburn Rovers (A)

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 3-1 vs Derby County (A)
• Loss: 2-3 vs Sheffield United (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Southampton (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Stoke City (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Norwich City (A)

Derby County have just suffered a 1-3 home defeat to Leicester City, adding to a patchy run that includes back-to-back losses after a couple of wins, leaving them 15th on 26 points and keen to steady the ship in mid-table. Their next match is against Millwall on 2025-12-10 at 19:45, with the visitors sitting third on 34 points and pushing for promotion, so Derby will need to tighten up defensively to avoid slipping further and grab points against a strong side.

Leicester City have just secured a 3-1 away win over Derby County, bouncing back from two straight losses with this result building on earlier victories, placing them 14th on 27 points as they look to climb the table. They face Bristol City next on 2025-12-10 at 19:45, with the opponents seventh on 29 points and chasing playoff spots, making it a chance for Leicester to keep the positive momentum and close the gap on the top half.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.