But Leicester’s battle to avoid back-to-back relegations, having dropped out of the Premier League last season, is still one that will need to be fought off the pitch as the club’s legal team appeal against a six-point deduction for historical spending breaches.
Bristol City’s predicament in the middle of the table has become much more clear, with their hopes of challenging for a spot in the play-offs taking a major hit at Leicester. This was their third straight league defeat and leaves them five places and seven points adrift of Wrexham in sixth place.
The high-stakes meeting got off to a frantic start, with goalkeepers Stolarczyk and Radek Vitek both making fine saves inside the first five minutes.
Stolarczyk was tested twice in the space of 60 seconds, pushing a deflected Sam Morsy effort over the bar before tipping a curled shot from Scott Twine past the post, while Vitek did well to deny Stephy Mavididi at the other end.
Vitek, however, was left stranded as Nelson broke the deadlock with a rare goal after nodding home from a Jordan James free-kick.
It was the defender’s first goal of the season and first since scoring during a loan spell at Oxford under now Foxes boss Rowett last term.
Mavididi bent a low shot on to the post for Leicester before going on to fortuitously help create the hosts’ second.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s acrobatic attempt to meet a Mavididi cross was scuffed high into the air and into the path of Fatawu, whose thumped first-time finish beat Vitek despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball.
The Robins’ best chance to pull a goal back came from the penalty spot after the break, but Stolarczyk picked the direction of Riis’s attempt and dived to his left to comfortably make the save.
