For all of Derby's problems, all their suspect buys this season and their struggle to catch breath in murky waters, it speaks volumes about Jim Smith's standing that his tenure as manager has never been in doubt.

Tellingly, however, after a victory which failed neither to mask Derby's glaring deficiencies nor elevate them away from the woodenspoon positions, Smith conceded that he had felt under pressure all season but not once under threat.

But Smith's assertion that this could be the "turning of the corner" carried about as much conviction as a Gareth Southgate penalty.

During 90 minutes of mindnumbing mediocrity they managed only three shots on target, and the winning goal was not one of them. Instead it was neighbourly love at its best when the Leicester goalkeeper Tim Flowers inexplicably lost the flight of Darryl Powell's innocuous up-and-under in a congested area, groped at thin air and turned round to see the ball in the back of his net.

Smith was justified in praising his players' endeavour to restrict Leicester to only one clear-cut opportunity, but this was unmistakably a good time to visit Filbert Street. Jaded after their midweek exertions against Leeds and with several key components injured, here was the compelling evidence behind Martin O'Neill's long-standing concerns that while the nucleus of his squad is more than competent, the periphery is fragile at best.

O'Neill was left to prepare for Wednesday's extraordinary general meeting, the showdown for boardroom supremacy. But judging by comments made yesterday, O'Neill might not be around for too long anyway.

"I want to win titles and I accept now that a provincial side cannot do these things. I'm still very energetic and really ambitious," he said.

"There's a part of me which wants to see how far I can take Leicester, but maybe we've done the very best we can under the circumstances."

LEICESTER: Flowers, Taggart, Walsh, Elliott, Savage, Impey (Cottee 72), Izzet, Zagorakis, Oakes, Eadie, Heskey. Subs Not Used: Gunnlaugsson, Gilchrist, Campbell, Arphexad. Booked: Izzet, Zagorakis.

DERBY: Poom, Powell, Dorigo, Prior (Schnoor 87), Delap, Johnson, Laursen, Robinson (Strupar 78), Burley, Elliott, Burton. Subs Not Used: Hoult, Christie, Kinkladze. Booked: Burton, Prior, Powell, Johnson. Goals: Powell 69.

Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).