FOXES NEVER IN THE HUNT

Maddison blasts Leicester's lack of hunger

- NEIL MCLEMAN

JAMES MADDISON accused Leicester of lacking hunger and aggression after conceding five goals.

And boss Dean Smith accepted his men, who play Liverpool and Newcastle in their next two games, were "maybe struggling mentally with the pressures".

Even without the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic, Fulham were made to look like the Harlem Globetrotters, scoring three times in the opening 44 minutes against a shambolic Foxes defence.

Booed off at the break, Leicester responded with three goals and a penalty miss - but the damage had been done to their survival hopes.

The 2016 Premier League champions are now three games away from the Championship unless they dramatically improve.

England midfielder Maddison, who provided an assist and scored a second spot-kick, said: "Big game for us and we were not at it. We weren't hungry enough to want to win the game. We need to do the basics well. We weren't aggressive enough."

Smith claimed it was the "emotion talking" with Maddison - then proceeded to lambast the opening 45-minute display by a side which has now conceded 12 goals in his five games in charge.