Russell Martin claims his Leicester side didn’t deserve to lose to Ipswich

Russell Martin claims his Leicester City side didn’t deserve to lose to Ipswich Town in the Second Round of the Carabao Cup.

The first goal of the game didn’t come until the 62nd minute, Sindre Walle Egeli into the bottom corner. Olabade Aluko got the League One side level, but Marcelino Nunez then scored twice in 20 minutes to win it for the Prem newboys.

His second a contender for goal of the season, catching keeper Jakub Stolarczyk off his line and sent a shot towards goal from around 45 yards out.

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Match Stats

Possession
Ipswich: 42.7%
Leicester: 57.3%

Shots
Ipswich: 15
Leicester: 22

Shots on target
Ipswich: 9
Leicester: 9

Big chances missed
Ipswich: 1
Leicester: 2

Corners
Ipswich: 5
Leicester: 3

Accurate passes
Ipswich: 301
Leicester: 427

Passing accuracy
Ipswich: 82.2%
Leicester: 85.2%

Yellow cards
Ipswich: 3
Leicester: 2

🦊#LCFC | Russell Martin says he didn’t think his side deserved to lose tonight in the second round of the EFL Cup.

The Foxes were beaten 3-1 by Premier League side Ipswich Town.

🔗 https://t.co/Y84Ubdi0ID pic.twitter.com/Hpvm53qtz7

— BBC Sport Leicester (@BBCRLSport) August 25, 2026

Russell Martin said, as per the club website: “I’m disappointed we lose, because I don’t think we deserve to,” he said following full-time on Tuesday evening.

“We were the better team tonight, I think, that’s my feeling. We had more shots, we had some big chances and we get done by two moments of real quality with the two goals outside of the box.

“The second one is a bit of a mistake from us with guys that are really tired but the team was so brave and so aggressive tonight. We played some amazing football, cut them open a lot, were aggressive on the press and should have created more in the first half when we regained the ball, because we did it a lot. We hunted the ball, so I loved it tonight.”

On making seven changes were made from the side which lost to Burton: “[We had] a lot of young guys, some playing out of position – Luke Thomas, Bade [Aluko] has not played there a lot at centre half. They were immense. Jakub [Stolarczyk] came in and was so brave with the ball. Christian [McFarlane’s] first game, Couli (Woyo Couliably) is the same and put in a really good performance.

“The two young guys from Brighton (Tommy Watson and Harry Howell) were magnificent. Now we have a headache with some selections, which is brilliant. I enjoyed the performance tonight and I’m so proud of them.

Message to the fans: “I’m really grateful to the supporters that were here, making that trip on a Tuesday night. They were immense, even when we went behind and amazing at the end. The reception they gave the players, it felt like they enjoyed the performance. I hope they felt proud of the amount of young guys we had on the pitch and how brave they were.

“There were some tired guys at the end and we kept going. At 2-1, I thought we were going to score and then obviously they go and get the third goal. We asked Jak to be aggressive and high and it’s a moment of real quality of a guy they spent millions and millions of pounds on.”

Looking ahead to the MK Dons game: “I don’t like losing, I hate it and there are some really glum faces in there, but I can accept that performance every time,” the 40-year-old added. “We have to back it up now and it has to be meaningful tonight. It has to be a point in the season that we look back on.

“We’re only in the third game, it’s so early, but this was the night we started looking how we wanted to in a competitive fixture. We had so many guys on the pitch tonight who have not played together before, but they are building.

“There are so many guys who have not been in the building for very long and so many who are so young. I was super proud of the whole team. They played with big courage tonight and we’re going to need that. Now we have to back it up and make sure it counts on Saturday.

“We have to have an identity and play with an energy, passion, desire and bravery with the ball and without it. Tonight the guys brought both and we’re playing against a Premier League team with lots of good players and we have guys who have not played for a while. If we play like that, with that level, we’re going to have a lot of fun and win a lot of games.

“I’m not happy we lost we but have to put it in the context of how we played and what we did. For that, there’s so much to build on and so much to enjoy and hopefully the players have a feeling of what is going to come with time, because we need some time and moments that we are going to have together.”

Ipswich’s Gary O’Neil said, as per Sky Sports:

“I didn’t think it was the best decision to be honest!

“Neither did Chuba (Akpom) or Sindre who were clean through on goal, but as long as you can put it in the goal no one can argue, so good decision in the end!

“The last two performances Marcelino has been excellent. Two great goals, unbelievable energy that he has, never stops and unbelievably humble kid that works and works.

“You need them in your group and two big moments of quality to add to that which changed the game for us.

“He is in a good spot and need to keep him going. We need to keep him going for the weekend and it is now a big push to get everyone going on Sunday (at Manchester United).”