'Room to breathe after statement win'

This was the victory that Valerien Ismael craved in his pre-match interview with me 24 hours before the match.

The statement win.

The win that tells his new look squad that they are capable of competing with the powerhouses of the Championship.

He's still unable to let go of the disappointment of having a match abandoned against Ipswich earlier this season which could (and only could) have brought that statement victory earlier on and maybe settled his players down that little bit quicker.

Perhaps Rovers arrived at the King Power more in hope than expectation. Recent visits there have been fruitful, with the final day survival of 2024 and an FA Cup success there a year earlier. Great memories for the supporters, but hardly any playing staff remain from either triumph.

There was a pre-match blow with the news that talisman Todd Cantwell wouldn't be fit to lead them out, but in fairness they performed admirably without him.

Granted, Leicester are going through a difficult time results-wise. Since Brendan Rodgers was sacked two-and-a-half years ago, they've had five full-time managers. Only Enzo Maresca has had the luxury of two transfer windows, and they do look like a side without a real identity, a group put together by a variety of different people with different ideas.

But it's difficult to feel too much sympathy when a look through the side tells you how much it's cost to assemble. Figures that Rovers are unable to get close to.

A Mavididi header that found the net early on but was comfortably offside was their biggest first-half threat.

Rovers' players looked keen to show their boss that his half-time dressing down of them a week ago wouldn't need repeating as they grew into the game on the counter attack. The reward came when Foxes midfielder Boubakary Soumare inadvertently presented Andri Gudjohnsen with a chance that he wasn't going to miss.

Two in two for the Iceland international, and there was more to come later.

It wouldn't have been a shock had Rovers scored again before half-time. Time and again, Leicester gave away possession in their own half and really ought to have been punished. Yuki Ohashi tested goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk; Axel Henriksson less so, but chances were being created.

The second half was a similar story. Taylor Gardner-Hickman fired over from 12 yards, and substitute Ryoya Morishita volleyed straight at the keeper.

The next goal was always going to be crucial, and it almost went to the hosts. It took a miraculous save from Balasz Toth to thwart Stephy Mavididi from close range with his leg. A fantastic stop but for a forward player, one that goes under the heading 'has to score'.

And, within nine minutes of that save, the points were in the bag. The always impressive Ryan Alebiosu got into the final third with a lovely change of pace; he lifted his head and put it on the plate for Gudjohnsen to finish.

A large portion of the home support were already en route home long before the final whistle.

Back-to-back wins against recently relegated sides should give Rovers cause for optimism. The move to a back three is largely looking a success, unless you play full-back and your place in the side has gone. Two strikers leading the line also looks like it's helping the creation of chances. Valerien Ismael has told me that the players are enjoying the change in formation.

It wouldn't be right to start boldly predicting that the march up the Championship table has now started, but it would be right to give credit where it's due.

I thought that Valerien Ismael got his changes wrong against Sheffield United two games ago. We're all managers, aren't we? But his in-game decisions in the last two matches have been outstanding. The introduction of Ryan Hedges and Morishita at the interval was evidence of that. His triple change against Southampton was also a game changer.

There are still two games left before the next international break. A visit to top six Bristol City who lost 5-1 on Saturday followed up by the 150th anniversary match against Derby County who have three wins in a row after a tough start. Predicting the outcome of either would be pretty futile. But, it's safe to say that two maximums in a row have given Rovers room to breathe.