Leicester City fell to a 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United on 1 January 2026, and midfielder Oliver Skipp delivered a harsh assessment. Skipp said Leicester produced a poor display, while Sheffield United’s win pushed Chris Wilder’s side further away from the Championship relegation places.
The match at Bramall Lane saw Sheffield United score three times through Japhet Tanganga, Thomas Cannon and Callum O'Hare. Jordan James struck in stoppage time for Leicester, but the late goal did not change the result or the overall mood around the team.
Sheffield United went ahead in the 36th minute when captain Japhet Tanganga finished past Jakub Stolarczyk. Leicester created little before half-time, managing just one attempt. Early in the second half, former
Leicester forward Thomas Cannon netted his second goal in as many games, doubling the advantage and putting the Foxes under serious pressure.
Callum O'Hare added Sheffield United’s third goal in the 88th minute, completing what looked a routine home victory to open 2026. Jordan James scored a stoppage-time consolation for Leicester, but the visitors left Bramall Lane frustrated. Leicester now sit 13th in the Championship, with three defeats in the last four league matches.
| Team | Goals | Scorers | Minute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield United | 3 | Japhet Tanganga, Thomas Cannon, Callum O'Hare | 36', early second half, 88' |
| Leicester City | 1 | Jordan James | Stoppage time |
Skipp did not hide frustration in a post-match interview with BBC Radio Leicester, highlighting issues in attack and defence. The midfielder pointed to ongoing inconsistency across the season, saying performances have fluctuated too often during Leicester’s Championship campaign, despite the quality within the squad.
"Disappointing, that's an understatement. I think a really poor performance from everyone involved,the midfielder said. No one can take any positives from that game. We didn't create much and conceded some sloppy goals, so a real disappointment for everyone. We've lacked consistency throughout and everyone's got to look at themselves and try and put that right. The only positive is we have got a game in four days to try and rectify that, but we haven't been consistent this season, and it's up to us in the dressing room torectify that. "
Beaten at Bramall Lane.#SHULEI | @BCGame pic.twitter.com/C3ZlNZFNaNLeicester City (@LCFC) January 1, 2026
While Leicester City searched for answers, Sheffield United’s Championship form continued to improve. Wilder’s team have suffered only two defeats in their last 11 league matches, winning seven and drawing two, and now occupy 15th place. The victory also marked Wilder’s 150th win in all competitions as Sheffield United manager across three separate spells.
Wilder praised the performance against a Leicester City squad rated highly by the Sheffield United manager. "I thought we were outstanding from the off,Wilder told Sky Sports. Intensity levels, we competed, allowed good players to get their head upthey're going to hurt you, and arguably they have the best players in the division. They may have the strongest squad in the division, but they didn't really allow them to get anything on us. " The result underlined Sheffield United’s growing confidence as the Championship season moved into 2026.
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