Dons bow out of Carabao Cup with defeat to Leicester City

MK Dons bravely bowed out of the Carabao Cup after a 3-0 defeat at home to Premier League Leicester City.

The top-flight Foxes were never really in trouble against their League One opponents, with first-half strikes from Youri Tielemans and Ayoke Perez putting them firmly in control, before Jamie Vardy’s header five minutes after the restart sealed the deal.

Dons were seldom allowed to threaten, but when they did, Tennai Watson first fired over the top before blocking a Mo Eisa strike.

With Leicester fielding a strong side to take on Dons in the Carabao Cup, including former loanee Harvey Barnes, Bradley Johnson made two changes - himself being one of them - as part of a formation tinker. Will Grigg returned to the starting line-up and played alongside Mo Eisa, while Dawson Devoy came into the side as Johnson was charged with leading the team from the sidelines in the absence of Dean Lewington.

Despite the gulf in between the sides, Dons more than held their own in the opening stages but looked comfortable to try and absorb the pressure put on them by the Premier League side. Twice Leicester saw chances sail over the bar in the opening 10 minutes, with Timothy Castagne and Ayoke Perez failing to test Jamie Cumming.

While Dons kept in the game though, Leicester did make the breakthrough on 18 minutes when Barnes broke down the Leicester left, and though Jamie Vardy was unmarked in the centre, his flick was denied by Cumming but the rebound fell kindly to Youri Tilemans, fresh from the World Cup with Belgium, to rattle home.

Ten minutes later, they doubled their lead but Dons had questions to ask of the referee in the build-up. Daniel Harvie appeared to be downed on the edge of the box by Wout Faes, but with the ball rolling to keeper Danny Ward, he recycled back to the Belgian who sent the ball the length of the field to Perez. Bringing the ball down expertly in the box, Perez cut inside and lashed the ball past Cumming.

Though the visitors were firmly in control as expected, Dons weren't without their moments as the first-half wound down - Tennai Watson found himself in prime position with four minutes to go but he fired well over the bar before then he got in the way of Mo Eisa's goal-bound effort.

If the writing wasn't on the wall for Dons at half-time, it was five minutes after the restart when Jamie Vardy nodded home Castagne's cross to make it 3-0.

With the game effectively sealed, Leicester clicked back into cruise control for the remainder of the game, keeping the home side at arm's length with ease as they made changes to wrap up some of their stars.

Dons seldom were allowed to threaten, with Grigg and Eisa straved of the ball but for rare occasions. Keeper Danny Ward though was never tested.

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 15,495

MK Dons: Cumming, O’Hora, Tucker (Lawrence 46), Jules, Harvie, Watson (Holland 60), McEachran (Smith 60), Devoy, Grant (Barry 74), Grigg, Eisa (Dennis 78)

Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Robson, Oyegoke, Kemp

Leicester City: Ward, Castagne (Albrighton 79), Amartey, Faes, Thomas (McAteer 86), Praet, Tielemans, Soumare, Perez (Iheanacho 66), Barnes (Alves 79), Vardy (Daka 66)

Subs not used: Iversen, Verstergaard, Mendy, Ndidi