Divine Mukasa wasted no time in stamping his name on Leicester City’s season, delivering a dazzling first start that felt like a promise of brighter days, even as the Foxes stumbled to another painful defeat.
Thrown into the starting XI less than a fortnight after completing a loan move from Manchester City, the 18-year-old forward lit up the opening stages of Leicester’s wild 4–3 loss to Southampton in the Championship on Tuesday night. In a match that spiralled from total control into late chaos, Mukasa emerged as the standout spark in blue.
The teenager set the tone almost immediately. With the clock barely past nine minutes, he drifted into space outside the area and finished with ice-cold composure to put Leicester in front, lifting the home crowd and injecting early belief into a side desperate for momentum. His movement between the lines and fearless carrying of the ball stretched Southampton’s defence from the first whistle.
Stephy, to Patson, to Divine – he takes a touch and his strike is too powerful for Peretz in the Southampton net!
The start we needed! 🙌 https://t.co/wBTR9fv4ee
— Leicester City (@LCFC) February 10, 2026
Leicester’s early dominance quickly snowballed. Patson Daka struck to double the advantage, and Mukasa soon turned architect, threading a clever pass through for Abdul Fatawu Issahaku to make it 3–0 inside a blistering opening spell. The Foxes were rampant, Southampton looked rattled, and the night appeared to be tilting heavily in the hosts’ favour.
By the break, Leicester had one hand on the contest. The tempo, the confidence, the three-goal cushion, everything suggested a statement win was brewing. What followed, however, was a collapse that defied the script.
The second half unraveled in dramatic fashion. Sloppy defending, wavering concentration and a sudden loss of control invited Southampton back into the contest. One goal turned into two, then three, and before Leicester could steady themselves, the visitors had completed a stunning comeback to steal the points in a 4–3 thriller.
For the Foxes, the manner of defeat cut deep. Yet amid the wreckage, Mukasa’s performance offered a rare shaft of light. His calm in front of goal, quick thinking in tight areas and confidence to demand the ball in dangerous positions hinted at a player ready to shoulder responsibility, exactly the kind of attacking edge Leicester have been crying out for.
The Southampton clash was Mukasa’s first start since arriving on loan earlier this month, a move made to secure regular senior football after his development at Manchester City. He had only just tasted life in a Leicester shirt days earlier, coming off the bench in a narrow 2–1 loss to Birmingham.
Leicester’s league position remains a growing concern. Sitting 21st in the 24-team Championship with 32 points from 32 matches, the pressure is mounting. But while the result will linger painfully, the emergence of Mukasa as a genuine attacking weapon offers supporters something to cling to, a glimpse of hope in a season that has offered precious little comfort so far.
