Leicester City's poor start under new manager Russell Martin is drawing uncomfortable comparisons to his failed tenure at Rangers. The Foxes have failed to win either of their opening two matches this week, intensifying pressure on the summer appointment.
According to a report from Daily Mail Sport, Martin's side drew 1-1 away at Notts County before suffering a 2-1 home defeat to Burton Albion. During that loss, many home fans left before full-time, reflecting a tense and angry atmosphere at the King Power Stadium. This comes after a catastrophic two-season period that saw the club suffer back-to-back relegations, plummeting from the Premier League to League One. The club's Thai owners have now announced Leicester City is for sale.
Why is Russell Martin's start so concerning?
Russell Martin was handed a three-year contract when appointed this summer, but the initial returns are alarming. His first 17 games in charge of Rangers 12 months ago are now seen as a blueprint for disaster. Martin lasted just 123 days at Ibrox, a reign described as an unmitigated disaster, making him the shortest-serving and worst manager in the club's history. His team was eighth in the league with one win from his first seven matches before his dismissal, which followed a 9-1 aggregate humiliation by Club Brugge in Champions League qualifiers. Martin later admitted Rangers was probably not the right fit for him or the club.
What has the manager said about the situation?
Martin has been candid about the shortcomings. After the Burton defeat, he stated his teams lacked hunger, energy, and psychological preparation. He pointed specifically to the opening period of that match. "We have to make sure that is our worst 25 minutes of the season," Russell Martin said. Reflecting on his time in Scotland, he called the 6-0 defeat to Club Brugge "humiliating and it's really painful. We're not strong enough as a group yet." He vowed that Rangers would not feel that level of pain again, a sentiment Leicester fans will hope translates to their current plight.
Where does Leicester City stand in the wider context?
The club's current predicament is a stark fall from its historic Premier League title win under Claudio Ranieri a decade ago, a story amplified by Andrea Bocelli's celebratory performance. Now, the fear among some supporters is a third consecutive relegation. The verified data underscores the scale of the challenge. Leicester finished 23rd in the Championship last season with 46 points from 46 games, recording 12 wins, 16 draws, and 18 losses. Their recent form was WDDLL, they scored 58 goals but conceded 68 for a -10 difference, and they ended the campaign a staggering 49 points behind champions Coventry. You can review the full historical data on our standings and stats pages.
What happens next for Leicester City?
The immediate task is to halt the slide and build a competitive squad. The parallels with Martin's past are clear, and the appointment was viewed as a risky gamble by many Leicester fans, while some English journalists praised it. The club is in a state of transition with its ownership up for sale and a new manager trying to implement his philosophy, which some critics describe as idealistic but lacking substance. The next fixtures, which you can find on our fixtures page, will be critical for Martin to prove this story can have a different ending. The focus must shift from past failures to securing results that can stabilize the club in League One and begin a long climb back.
