BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast brings you the thoughts of manager Steve Cooper and analysis with former Foxes defender Michael Morrison following Tuesday's 4-0 Carabao Cup second-round win over Tranmere Rovers.
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Leicester City are close to a breakthrough in their £19.5m bid to sign 20-year-old Genk and Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesTranmere are yet to concede a goal in League Two this season, and for a while it looked like Nigel Adkins’ team - and 43-year-old goalkeeper Joe Murphy - would prove difficult to break down at the King Power Stadium.
Murphy, who featured in Tranmere’s Worthington Cup final defeat against Leicester back in 2000, denied Jordan Ayew and Oliver Skipp early in the first half as the Foxes dominated, but there was no saving the Ghanaian’s thumping drive from the edge of the box eight minutes before the interval.
Ayew, who joined the Foxes from Crystal Palace last week, failed to add to his tally but delivered an impressive all-round performance in the second period, holding the ball up well and bringing his team-mates into play.
The 32-year-old was heavily involved in Leicester’s third of the evening, his precise pass setting up Wilfred Ndidi to put the game beyond Tranmere’s reach once and for all.
Signed for an initial £5m, the acquisition of Ayew could prove to be a shrewd piece of business by the Foxes as they look to keep their heads above water this season.
Tougher tests lie ahead for Steve Cooper’s side, but you can only beat what’s in front of you - and this was a confidence-boosting display by Ayew and his colleagues.
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
What did you make of your team's performance Leicester fans?
Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies.
There are five Premier League teams in action on Tuesday in the Carabao Cup and BBC Sport will bring you all the action and reaction.
And listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary of Birmingham v Fulham on BBC Sounds
Chris Forryan
Fan writer
For the whole of the Tottenham game I forgot that we were back in VAR land, although you could say La La land as it would be just as appropriate. No contentious issues for VAR to get involved in, I forgot it was there.
But wait. It couldn’t last could it? It took just 38 minutes of only our second game back for me to remember why I hated VAR and why it is ruining the game I love. It wasn’t a contentious decision, it even went our way, but I just got bored waiting for the outcome.
Wout Faes’ equalised for Leicester and I went absolutely wild. Then I had to stop as we waited for VAR to decide if it was a legit goal. Was Faes offside? Was Jamie Vardy interfering with the goalkeeper? Or were the two fans sat immediately behind the goal munching their crisps so loud it put off the keeper?
I jest a tad, but you get my meaning. Four minutes it took for the VAR to decide they couldn’t decide and ask the referee to go and watch the TV. Yes we got four minutes added on at the end of the half, but when the ref gave the goal, I was past celebrating and almost past caring.
This isn’t football, it’s not even sport. Sport has excitement and VAR has strangled all excitement out of the game we love.
The Premier League don’t give two hoots about the fans. Give me last season, the ball went in the net, you looked at the linesman, if his flag was down you celebrated. Oh, how I miss those games.
Whatever else it is, football is just a game. This week we lost an ex-manager and a true footballing gentleman in Sven Goran Eriksson. Dignified to the end. Rest in peace.
Find more from Chris Forryan at Leicester Till I Die, external
The latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast is now available on BBC Sounds.
Owynn Palmer-Atkin and former Leicester winger Matt Piper react to the news of Sven-Goran Eriksson's passing, and the Foxes' former Swedish defender Pontus Kamark recalls his memories of his fellow countryman.
They also look ahead to Leicester's Carabao Cup tie against Tranmere Rovers, with Piper believing Steve Cooper should make changes for the game.
"He has got to put a competitive side out there that he thinks can win the game, but we have got a lot of exciting youngsters on the brink of coming into his thoughts for Premier League football," says Piper.
"This is a magnificent opportunity to use some of those players - because you can find a diamond.
"In a game like this, someone could come in, rip it up and then all of a sudden it gives you another option for league games - that's how I got started.
"The belief I got from being given a start was massive, and two or three months later I was in the first team."
Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds
Republic of Ireland striker Tom Cannon, 21, might leave Leicester for £6m this window, with Sheffield United and Luton interested. (Irish Independent), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester City have paid tribute to former boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, who has died at the age of 76.
Eriksson managed the Foxes while they were in the Championship, between October 2010 and October 2011, and was known for his "easy and warm character".
During his time in the East Midlands, he most notably signed Kasper Schmeichel, David Nugent and Paul Konchesky, who all went on to be vital players for the club.
In a statement the club said, external: "Sven will be remembered for the many successes in his career and all at Leicester City continue to look back with warmth and fondness at his time in charge of the Foxes. The thoughts of all at the club are with Sven’s family and his friends at this sad time."
'Engaging and courteous with a touch of steel' - Eriksson obituary
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Leicester City striker Matty Fryatt believes the Foxes are currently stuck between two different styles, after losing Championship-winning manager Enzo Maresca and appointing former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper during the summer break.
"Cooper will want to put his own tweak on things but all of that success last season, and the core of the team, was based on players who had been programmed," Fryatt told BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast.
"Everything was set and there wasn't anything off the cuff. Sometimes you could say it was a bit rigid and boring to watch.
"If it can go forward in this Cooper team, it sometimes feels like they just play it forward. Under Maresca, sometimes if it wasn't perfect it wasn't going to go forward.
"It is about finding that balance, of course. A new manager has come in and he is going to have his own tweaks. At the same time, there will need to be a bit more resilience to a Steve Cooper team - it won't be all Leicester's way [this season].
"They have to find the balance of going for it themselves and also being aware of the opposition, rather than being too respectful or fearful of how they play. They have got to find out how that can be delivered.
"Cooper is in a difficult position at the minute but, after the first two games, you probably would have taken one point [before the season started]. So it's not the end of the world, but it does need to get better.
"It's going to take time for the players to adjust to Cooper's style but if there is a mistake, it is going to be punished. Yes, there was a way that worked in the Championship but Burnley proved that they tried to do it again in the Premier League and it didn't work.
"So there has to be a mix - it is about finding out how it can be improved and how the team can put their game on the opposition and show their qualities.
"They just haven't found that right balance at the right moments, as they did last season. It takes a long time to do that as well, especially when you've got a team that has had success with a previous way of playing.
"It will take time and patience, but they need to find their style."
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Fulham and Leicester City.
Here are some of your comments:
Fulham fans
Simon: This was always going to be a tough game, especially with Leicester coming off a good first game. They were set up to defend and counter-attack, but we were better from start to finish and controlled the game. There were grumblings about a lack of cutting edge, but this will come with more games and as our new players bed in. Overall, very positive.
Alex: The first half was very strong from Fulham. Emile Smith Rowe is off to a great start thanks to Adama Traore. I was optimistic after so many key players leaving, but I think we have made up for that with players like Sasa Lukic stepping up. A strong performance from Fulham but a nervy final 10 minutes, which is expected. Bring on the next game.
James: Smith Rowe scoring on his home debut was great to see. I was a little frustrated with the equaliser after dominating the first half. I felt Fulham deserved to win the game and Iwobi made sure of that. We look better defensively but we need to be more clinical when on the front foot. I'm happy to see three points on the board. Ipswich away next!
Toppy: If Marco Silva gets out of his own way on the touchline and stops transmitting panic to the team, all of his positive attributes will see us excel this season. We don't need another Manchester United meltdown. Passion is not an excuse for stupidity.
Leicester fans
Gav: We gave the game away. We offered very little up front after signing Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Jordan Ayew as Premier League standard upgrades, but they both look League One standard. Fulham won in second gear.
Chris: I'm not going to criticise the effort but when you're crying out for creativity and you see no striker on the pitch, Jordan Ayew being 'neat and tidy' and Wilfred Ndidi being the most advanced player, makes you concerned. How Steve Cooper can somehow seemingly not fancy arguably our best player in Ricardo, I just don't understand!
Fred: I think it's inevitable that we are going to have wins and losses, but we need to be better at the back and up front as well. I think Steve Cooper is doing very well to adapt the team to the Premier League. We just have to stay positive and get behind the team to cheer them on. It is the least we can do.
James: I think we Leicester fans need to keep our expectations in check. We are expected to struggle and pick up points where we can. We deserved nothing, with any hint of a repeat of the second half against Spurs quickly extinguished. Back to the training ground to work on our attacking threat, which needs a signing or two and quickly.
Gary Lineker presents highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.
If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
The latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast is available now on BBC Sounds - and it contains all of the post-match reaction from the Foxes' loss to Fulham.
Former Leicester City striker Matty Fryatt gives his thoughts on the performance, while Foxes manager Steve Cooper discusses what went wrong for his side and whether there will be more incomings before transfer deadline day.
Leicester City boss Steve Cooper has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day after his side's defeat to Fulham: "Disappointed we lost the game. It was a game we were very much in. In reality, we have been punished by the ruthlessness of the league. We have got the tactics of our defending not quite right - those positions weren't right and we have conceded the goals from there. Fulham took advantage of those two lapses.
"We were in the game the whole way through. It looked like two even teams playing it out and seeing where the game was going to end up. Unfortunately for us, it hasn't ended on the right side in terms of the result.
"We were at Premier League level in our first game away from home, so there is positives to take and loads to learn. I just said to the guys there, be gutted that we haven't taken something from the game because we absolutely should have. We have to move on from that."
On VAR intervening for Leicester's goal: "It is a farce really, why it was stopped. I don't want to go on about that."
On new signings: "We want everyone pushing for positions. To be more of a competitive Premier League squad, you need competition for places. The guys need to train well and play well to stay in it and, if they're not, then they have to work even harder."
On whether he expects more signings: "We hope so. There is hope but I'm at the point where there is a week left, so it is what it is. I'm in competition mode and we have got enough to think about with everyday work.
"If we are in a stronger place when the window shuts, then great. If not, then we believe in these players."
Image source, ReutersSteve Cooper was adamant after the match that his Leicester side had pushed Fulham all the way.
Perhaps he was reminiscing about the Foxes' second-half performance against Tottenham on Monday.
Jamie Vardy had starred then to secure a point on their Premier League return, but he was absent at Craven Cottage.
So too were his fellow attackers Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Facundo Buonanotte.
The trio failed to create any clear cut chances and had just one shot between them.
In truth, Leicester looked like they were lucky not lose by a much larger margin and their weaknesses at the top of the pitch were matched at the other end.
Mads Hermansen was the only reason the visitors went into half-time level, while mistakes from Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes nearly cost Leicester right after the break.
And on a different day Rodrigo Muniz, with his seven shots, could have fired Fulham clear.
Image source, Getty ImagesLeicester City have lost 11 of their last 16 Premier League away games in London (W2 D3), conceding at least two goals in all 11 defeats in this run.
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Fulham fans, have your say on the performance, external
Foxes fans, what did you make of Leicester's display?, external
Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies
There are seven games on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you all the action and reaction.
*All times are BST
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week two, he takes on Make Me A Mixtape hosts Clara Amfo and Jordan Stephens.
Sutton's prediction: 2-0
Fulham were competitive against Manchester United last week and probably felt hard done by they didn't come away with a point.
Leicester got absolutely trounced in the first half against Tottenham. But in fairness, they were resilient, got the goal and carried a threat.
It was great to see Jamie Vardy back in the Premier League and getting a goal from Leicester's perspective, too.
But I think Fulham at home, this will be a 2-0 win.
Amfo's prediction: 2-1
Stephens' prediction: 4-0
The fact you are guessing these is hilarious because your scores are all reasonable, while I have gone for hopeful... with lots of goals.
This season, English top-flight clubs are trialling a new financial system that limits spending based on the earnings of the bottom side, designed to "protect the competitive balance of the Premier League".
Football finance expert Rob Wilson tells The Football News Show why, if permanently introduced, it could make the top Premier League sides less competitive against their European counterparts.
Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer
