How we scored the Leicester City players as Caleb Okoli received a red card and Jordan Ayew missed a penalty on Andy King’s debut as interim manager
Jordan Blackwell
14:51, 31 Jan 2026Updated 15:09, 31 Jan 2026
Caleb Okoli of Leicester City during the Sky Bet Championship match between Leicester City and Charlton Athletic at King Power Stadium
Leicester City started life after Marti Cifuentes with another home defeat as Caleb Okoli’s early sending off and Jordan Ayew’s missed penalty proved hugely costly.
The Italian was given a straight red card after just a quarter of an hour for a last-man challenge, and City’s half got worse from there as Sonny Carey and Lyndon Dykes found the net.
Under interim boss Andy King, City showed plenty of fight in their response in the second half, but after Ayew hit the post with a spot-kick, they looked deflated.
City could now end the day in 17th in the table, while another defeat to a side below them will only increase relegation fears.
On Friday, King had said it was a dream of his to manage City. But 15 minutes into his debut as interim boss, it had turned into a nightmare.
Okoli was spun by Miles Leaburn on the halfway line and rather than attempt to catch him legally, the centre-back grabbed his shirt and hauled him down. It was an awful decision from the Italian and a clear red card.
City’s day nearly got immediately worse when Harry Clarke nodded in a back-post corner, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on Jakub Stolarczyk. Replays showed City were fortunate, with no contact visible.
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With 35 minutes played, Charlton did take the lead. Clarke was allowed to advance down the Charlton right and cross. Bade Aluko, on at centre-back to fill the gap left by Okoli, missed his header, with Carey flicking the ball over Ricardo Pereira and volley into the bottom corner.
By then, Harry Winks was on to a mixed reception for his first City appearance in two months as an injury substitute for Hamza Choudhury. As half-time approached, the England midfielder was making City tick, putting King’s side into the ascendancy.
But defensively, problems remained. Luke Chambers sidestepped Louis Page and crossed to the far post where Dykes had peeled off Luke Thomas and Ben Nelson, the striker steering a volley into the net to give the visitors a 2-0 half-time lead.
Undeterred by their man disadvantage and the two-goal deficit, City came flying out of the gates in the second half in search of a comeback, and won a penalty 10 minutes after the interval when Abdul Fatawu was tugged back by Amari’i Bell.
But for the first time in his long career, Ayew missed from 12 yards, striking the outside of the left-hand post, blowing a golden chance for City to get back into the match.
Moments later, Ricardo’s shot was spilled by Thomas Kaminski, but as Page went to finish, Ayew got in his way, stopping him from making a clean contact.
That took the wind out of City’s sails and they barely threatened for the rest of the second half, with Charlton happy to see out the win at 2-0. Here’s how we scored the players.
Jakub Stolarczyk: Since his return from injury, he’s looked very shaky at high balls and it was the case again here. He was fortunate to win a free-kick after flapping at the corner for the disallowed goal. He made one good low save with his feet and was quick off his line to mop up, but he needs to sort himself out at crosses. 4
Ricardo Pereira: He nipped the ball off Coady’s toe and made one crunching tackle to set up an attack in the second half, but he was also beaten all ends up by Carey for the opener. On the ball, he played a few poor passes, but picked up excellent positions around the box to help sustain City’s attacks. 5
Caleb Okoli: It’s a mindless decision to foul Leaburn in that moment. He would surely have had the pace to catch up with him. Even if he didn’t, City would have been much better to go a goal down than a man down. It’s a hugely costly mistake. 2
Ben Nelson: He won his headers, made important blocks, and did pretty well on crosses, other than for Dykes’ goal, where he let the striker peel off him. When stepping out, he made a few poor passes, but defended counters well in the second period. 5
Luke Thomas: He struggled defensively in the first half and was perhaps as culpable as Nelson for not picking up Dykes for the second. But on the ball he delivered some great crosses and held his own defensively in the second period. 5
Hamza Choudhury: Before his injury, he tried to make himself an option at the base of the midfield, but he’s not on the same level as Winks, as shown by the substitute’s appearance. 4
Louis Page: He made one good surge in the first half but was otherwise crowded out. He found his feet in the second half and made useful contributions on the ball, reading the game well in attack too. 5
Bobby De Cordova-Reid: He had a couple of tame shots before he had to make way following Okoli’s red card. 4
Abdul Fatawu: He did very little of note in the first half, except to play a few wasteful first-time passes. But for a period in the second half, he was unstoppable, the winger using his feet and body well to beat his markers in tight spaces regularly, getting into the box and winning the penalty. 5
Jordan Ayew: The huge cheers when he was substituted summed up his game. He didn’t gamble on crosses and so missed the chance to convert a wicked ball in from Thomas. Then he blew the golden chance to get City back into the game by placing his penalty against the post. Moments later, he got in Page’s way and denied him a clean strike at goal. 3
Stephy Mavididi: He didn’t track Clarke effectively for the first Charlton goal, but that was his only major error. Otherwise, City looked at their most threatening when he got on the ball and dribbled at the Charlton back-line, the winger regularly getting into the box and clipping in teasing crosses. 6
Bade Aluko: Amid Okoli’s red card and Vestergaard’s injury, he provides hope. He may have missed a header for the Carey goal, but was otherwise strong defensively, doing really well to stop Charlton counters after the break. On the ball, he had the confidence to roam, and had one brilliant run through the middle. 6
Harry Winks: He offers a level of composure on the ball that nobody else in the City squad can. It made a difference. He wasn’t perfect, and the most audacious passes didn’t come off, but he was good. Still, many fans weren’t happy to have him back on the pitch. 6
Jeremy Monga: He got around the outside of his full-back a few times, and put in decent crosses, but only one led to a chance, with Page’s strike flying over. 5
Patson Daka: Put himself about, but to little effect. 4
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