MK Dons bowed out of the Carabao Cup at the Fourth Round stage after defeat to Premier League Leicester City at Stadium MK.
The Foxes, who made just three changes from the side which started their last top-flight fixture, led by two at the break thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans and Ayoze Perez, with Jamie Vardy adding to the score after the break.
The Dons made two changes from the side which beat Portsmouth at the weekend, with Bradley Johnson – the man leading the team in the absence of Dean Lewington – and Nathan Holland replaced by Dawson Devoy and Will Grigg.
Ayoze Perez had the game’s first chance four minutes in, when he lifted a first-time shot over the bar from the edge of the area. Timothy Castagne did the same thing on six minutes, meeting a cross in from the left but failing to keep his effort.
Leicester’s early pressure told with 17 minutes played, following a move which involved former Don Harvey Barnes. His cross was met by Jamie Vardy, whose improvised effort was saved by Cumming. TIELEMANS, though, was alert to the rebound and he finished through a crowd of players to break the deadlock. 0-1.
The Dons had an opportunity to respond shortly after when Zak Jules met a delivery from Josh McEachran, but his header landed on the roof of the net. Six minutes later, the visitors doubled their lead through PEREZ, who latched onto a through pass and, after a terrific first touch, finished well past Cumming. 0-2.
Roared on by the Cowshed, the Dons went forward again in search of a way back into the contest and Mo Eisa appeared to be in on goal on 36 minutes but a covering defender was quickly across to prevent him getting a shot away.
There was a decent opportunity for Watson to pull a goal back with the final chance of the first half but, after being teed up by Grant, he fired over the bar. The score remained at 2-0 heading into the break.
Johnson made a change to his line-up at the break, introducing Henry Lawrence in place of Jack Tucker – a substitution which saw Watson move into right centre-half, with Lawrence at right wing-back.
There was little Watson or his defensive teammates could do to prevent Leicester from extending their lead to three early in the second half when an inch-perfect cross landed on the head of VARDY, who converted from close range. 0-3.
Cumming was equal to headed attempt from Perez shortly after while, at the other end, Jules tried his luck from range, but dragged his shot wide of the target.
The Dons, to their credit, continued to battle against their top-flight opponents but were unable to create too much of note – despite the best efforts of the Cowshed to will them on.
One of the Dons’ later substitutes, Matt Dennis, was able to get behind the Leicester backline to meet a cross in from Devoy but his header back towards Grigg was intercepted.
There was to be no Cup upset at Stadium MK, though the Dons' focus will now quickly turn to a much more important match this coming Monday evening - the Boxing Day meeting with Forest Green Rovers.
MK Dons: Cumming, Watson (Holland 61), Tucker (Lawrence 46), O’Hora, McEachran (Smith 61), Grigg, Eisa (Dennis 79), Grant (Barry 74), Harvie, Devoy, Jules.
Subs: Ravizzoli, Robson, Oyegoke, Kemp.
Leicester City: Ward, Faes, Barnes (Alves 79), Tielemans, Vardy (Daka 66), Perez (Iheanacho 66), Praet, Castagne (Albrighton 79), Thomas (McAteer 86), Somare.
Subs: Iversen, Vestergaard, Mendy, Ndidi.
Goals: Tielemans 17, Perez 29, Vardy 49
Referee: A Marriner
Attendance: 15,495 (6,594 away)
