Yet the defeat by Hull, as they became the first defending champions to lose their opening Premier League match, showed how things will be tougher this time around, particularly if Leicester’s key players can’t repeat last season’s heroics.
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Having sprung one of the sport’s biggest surprises by winning the league last season, Leicester was on the receiving end of a stunning upset after Robert Snodgrass rifled home Hull’s victor in the 57th minute of play.
Diomande gave Hull a first-half lead before Riyad Mahrez brought Leicester level with a penalty shortly after the second half resumed.
Leicester equalized with a penalty nearly immediately after the re-start, Riyad Mahrez driving home the spot-kick.
The visitors, though, were unable to capitalise on the chances they created, with Vardy a particular culprit, miskicking horribly after new signing Ahmed Musa had darted down the left to roll the ball back to him 15 metres from goal.
For Hull City’s caretaker manager and Leicester City’s star striker it must have felt as if the world had spun off its axis.
Meanwhile, Swansea City won 1-0 at promoted Burnley courtesy of an 82nd-minute strike by Leroy Fer, who tapped in after debutant Fernando Llorente’s header was saved by Tom Heaton.
His team certainly got off to a ideal start, with Raheem Sterling winning a penalty that was converted by Sergio Aguero after only four minutes.
Leicester dominated for large periods of the game and Ranieri feels they need to be more clinical in front of goal.
Both Abel Hernandez and Adam Diomande went for the rebound in Leicester’s box following a Kasper Schmeichel save, and both seemingly made contact with the ball as they flung themselves acrobatically at it.
On an opening day which saw five managers take charge of their first competitive game at their new club, and there were contrasting starts for Pep Guardiola and David Moyes as pre-season title favourites Manchester City struck late to beat plucky Sunderland. At Wembley against Manchester United we played as a team – but we weren’t together today.
Ranieri will hope for better next weekend when his side welcome Arsenal to the King Power Stadium in their first home game.
The holders began their Premier League title defence with a 2-1 defeat in Saturday’s early kick-off at the KC Stadium.
“Today was a normal match, maybe a draw was normal, but we lost it”, said Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri, whose side lost only three times last season. “They had two big chances, too, but I think it is a fair result”, said Koeman.
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Xherdan Shaqiri’s dazzling second-half free kick rescued a point for Stoke City at newly promoted Middlesbrough, who marked their return to the Premier League after seven years with a 1-1 draw.
