Football Today brought an early reminder that title favourites are rarely granted an easy start, with Leicester City held to a draw by Notts County on the opening weekend of League One. Jayden Joseph’s strike from the edge of the box just after the hour-mark gave the match its defining moment, but it was not enough to decide the contest.
For Leicester, it was not the opening they would have wanted. A club with the expectation of pushing straight through the division instead had to settle for a point, and the result immediately underlined how quickly pressure can build when a side is expected to win every week.
Leicester still have the tag, but the margin for error is thin
The broader picture is simple enough: Leicester remain one of the teams judged most likely to set the pace in League One, but this was the kind of first-week test that shows how unforgiving the division can be. Notts County did not need to dominate the narrative for long. They just needed one clear moment, and Joseph provided it.
That goal arrived just after the hour-mark and changed the tone of the afternoon. From there, Leicester were left chasing the game rather than controlling it, and that is where the early warning signs begin for any side carrying title-favourite status.
Other opening-day results offered their own warning signs
The roundup also included Oxford United, who drew with MK Dons after leading and then trailing. It was another result that suggested opening weekends can be awkward even for sides with ambition.
Oxford’s situation was made more difficult by an EFL transfer embargo, adding another layer of scrutiny to their start. Last season they won promotion, so there will be an obvious focus on whether they can adapt quickly enough to life at a higher level.
Elsewhere, Luton entered the season under Jack Wilshere in his first full season at Kenilworth Road. The opening notes around the division also included new managerial bows for Andy Woodman and Martin Patterson, alongside a return for Neil Harris.
Five years ago, Leicester were celebrating their first-ever Emirates FA Cup under Brendan Rodgers after fruitful campaigns in the Premier League and UEFA Europa League. This time, the story is less glamorous but just as important: opening-day points can shape a season, especially when the expectation is to win promotion.
That is the lesson Football Today delivers from the first weekend. Leicester have not lost momentum yet, but the draw with Notts County shows how quickly the questions begin for a favourite when the season starts to bite.
