The latest loss is undoubtedly another heavy blow in Cifuentes’ reign but the concern runs deeper than the boss in the dugout.
The points amassed by Leicester so far this season come with a major question – will some be lost to a deduction?
It remains the great unknown for the Foxes as they fight a legal battle with the Premier League over spending breaches relating to the season they were promoted from the Championship as title winners in 2023-24.
The hearing into the alleged breaches has reportedly begun, external, although both the club and the football authorities have not publicly acknowledged it.
In the wider context of Leicester’s need to get spending under control, the £10m sale of Cannon to Sheffield United in January meant a goal threat – and arguably a natural successor to legendary forward Jamie Vardy – was moved on to help the club’s finances.
And with Cifuentes lamenting his side’s lack of goals on Friday, Cannon’s early strike against a side he helped to promotion just two seasons ago was particularly ironic.
Riedewald and Peck’s goals exposed frailties that have plagued the Foxes’ defence throughout the season and emphasised that the Blades under Chris Wilder are suddenly the fastest rising side in the Championship.
They had only moved outside the relegation places with their mid-week win against Portsmouth, although they are still just two points above the drop zone.
When Mavididi met an Abdul Fatawu cross at the back post to pull a goal back in the 53rd minute, it was their first effort on target – and one that offered a ray of hope.
From that point on, the hosts flooded forward in search of a way back into the game but the thumped finish from James in the 83rd minute was not enough to salvage anything as United desperately hung on.
