Leicester v Ipswich: The Blues’ woeful defensive deficiencies are showing no signs of being solved under Mick McCarthy after they conceded four first-half goals in a 6-0 defeat by Leicester.

Town’s arch nemesis David Nugent got his customary goals – the first two as Town simply capitulated in a way that has become far too familiar in the last 18 months.

The City striker opened the scoring from the penalty spot after just seven minutes when Danny Higginbotham tried to shepherd the ball back to Stephen Henderson but the alert Lloyd Dyer nipped in and was felled by the Town keeper.

It was a poor moment of indecision and Nugent struck the penalty home with aplomb.

Town were shell-shocked, Leicester’s tails were up, and the home side doubled their advantage on 18 minutes.

Man-of-the-match Martyn Waghorn shot was parried by Henderson and Nugent was on hand to bundle home the rebound.

Smelling blood, City showed no signs of letting up while Ipswich offered precious little.

The third duly followed in the 27th minute as Dyer exchanged passes with Danny Drinkwater, burst past new signing Bradley Orr and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner.

In the final minute of a grim half, Dyer again exposed Orr and his low cross was turned in by the waiting Anthony Knockaert.

Lee Martin volleyed a shot wide as Ipswich finally threatened before the half-time whistle, but any hope of improvements in the second 45 minutes quickly ended.

Just eight minutes had elapsed when the fifth goal flew in, Andy King’s defensive-splitting pass perfectly curled home by Waghorn.

It was all Leicester with Town finally getting a shot on target in the 71st minute, but sub Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’ effort lacked pace.

At the other end, City always looked like taking advantage of the visitors’ threadbare defence and it was six in the 82nd minute when more great work by Dyer ended with Marko Futacs rolling the ball into the net.

Sub Michael Chopra finally got the ball into the home net but was adjudged to have been offside before the striker headed over after Emmanuel-Thomas knocked back Edwards’ cross.

It ended a thoroughly depressing and worrying 90 minutes for Ipswich Town.

TEAMS

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Drinkwater, Morgan (c), Whitbread, King, Dyer, Waghorn (Futacs 74), Schlupp, Knockaert (Marshall 65), Nugent (Vardy 31). Subs – Marshall, Logan, James, Moore, Lingard.

Ipswich: Henderson; Orr, Chambers, Higginbotham, Cresswell; Edwards, N’Daw (Hyam 58), Reo-Coker, Martin, Murphy (Emmanuel-Thomas 58), Campbell (Chopra 77). Subs – Lee-Barrett, Hewitt, Smith, Mohsni.