2024-25 has been far from ideal for Leicester as the Foxes prepare to head back to the Championship next season, but club legend Jamie Vardy got the send-off he deserved in a 2-0 victory over Ipswich on Sunday.
WATCH — Leicester vs Ipswich full match replay
Vardy opened the scoring with his 200th goal in what will be his 500th and final game for the club (all competitions), the final line of a 13-year fairytale that began in the second division in 2012-13 and peaked when the Foxes won the Premier League title in 2015-16 on the back of his 24 goals. Vardy exited the field at King Power Stadium for the final time in the 80th minute, to a standing ovation and a guard of honor from his Leicester teammates.
WATCH — Jamie Vardy scores 200th goal on 500th and final game for Leicester
Kasey McAteer scored Leicester’s other goal with a powerful finish from a wide angle in the 69th minute to secure win no. 6 on the season. The victory sends Leicester (25 points) three points clear of Ipswich and should see the Foxes finish 18th.
Next order of Leicester business: Who’s the manager next season?
Ruud van Nistelrooy has made no bones about the fact he wants to remain Leicester’s manager after the Foxes are officially relegated this summer, and he even has a contract that runs through summer 2027, but the club is yet to commit to him which has (predictably) led to lots of speculation. Not only Van Nistelrooy, but much of the first-team squad should look different next season as well, with a few players likely to be poached on relegation release clauses and star loanee Facundo Buonanotte to return to Brighton. What’s left will still be an experienced, but slightly younger, team capable of making an immediate return to the Premier League — if they have the right manager in charge.
Player ratings - Leicester vs Ipswich
What’s next?
- Ipswich vs West Ham — Sunday, 11 am ET
- Bournemouth vs Leicester — Sunday, 11 am ET
Leicester vs Ipswich live updates - by Andy Edwards
Leicester vs Ipswich final score: 2-0
Goalscorers: Jamie Vardy (28'), Kasey McAteer (69')
GOAL! Leicester 2-0 Ipswich: McAteer smashes home another from a wide angle (69')
GOAL! Leicester 1-0 Ipswich: Vardy scores to write the fairytale ending (28')
Leicester starting lineup
Stolarczyk - Justin, Coady, Faes, Thomas - Ndidi, Soumare, Ayew - McAteer, El Khannouss, Vardy
Ipswich starting lineup
Palmer - Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Greaves, Davis - Morsy, Cajuste, Enciso - Hutchinson, Clarke, Hirst
How to watch Leicester vs Ipswich live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10 am ET ET Sunday (May 18)
Venue: King Power Stadium — Leicester
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Watch live on Peacock
Heading into the penultimate weekend of the season, Leicester and Ipswich sit 19th and 18th in the table, respectively, level on 22 points with the Foxes five goals better in the goal difference column (-47 to -42). They have just three league wins in 2025, combined — 8 point for Leicester, 7 for Ipswich with identical -27 goal differences. Leicester have scored just nine goals in 17 games since the new year began and failed to score in 12 of the 17, including the eight straight games that spanned the entirety of February and March.
Ipswich are at least averaging a goal per game in 2025 (17 in 17) , but Kieran McKenna’s side has also conceded the most in the league since the calendar turned over (44). Both sides will head back to the Championship and season’s end and have a decent shot at coming right back up if they can keep their core groups together, aside from Ipswich striker Liam Delap, who will almost certainly join a PL side this summer.
Leicester team news, focus
OUT: Mads Hermansen (groin), Bobby De Cordova-Reid (muscular), Stephy Mavididi (muscular), Harry Winks (club discipline), Abdul Fatawu (knee - out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Ricardo Pereira (muscular)
Ipswich team news, focus
OUT: Nathan Broadhead (thigh), Conor Townsend (thigh), Jaden Philogene-Bidace (knee) Arijanet Muric (shoulder), Wes Burns (knee), Chiedozie Ogbene (achilles - out for season) | QUESTIONABLE: Sammie Szmodics (ankle), Kalvin Phillips (achilles)
Leicester vs Ipswich prediction
Ipswich are so hamstrung by injuries at the moment that even Leicester should be able to create a few chances and score a goal or — gasp — two. Leicester 2-1 Ipswich.