We’ll leave you with Andy Hunter’s report from Goodison. Thanks for reading!
Full-time: Everton 2-1 Leicester
Everton’s advance their push for a Europa League spot by denting Leicester’s Champions League hopes. It was a deserved win for the home side, who were sharper and smarter than the visitors. Leicester enjoyed an upturn for about 20 minutes in the second half and threatened to equalise, but they sagged again after that. Vardy was barely involved for most of the match. In the end, Leicester were just too flat. And now, despite so much fine work this season, their campaign is at risk of ending in an anti-climax.
90+5 min: Leicester keep passing. But it’s too slow and predictable.
90+2 min: Keane, who has been excellent today, heads away the latest Leicester cross, this time from Gray.
90+1 min: Vardy, of whom we’ve seen little, skips past two down the left and fires in a low cross. Perez, from a position similar to the one from which Richarlison shot Everton in front, gets off a first-time shot. It’s deflected wide.
90 min: There will be at least six more minutes. Time for Leicester to find a second wind, even if they never truly found a first?
89 min: Everton are seeing this game out intelligently. Leicester upsurge in the first half of the second period has subsided.
87 min: That’s awful by Maddison. Instead of rolling a straight-forward pass to Justin on the right, he went for an ostentatious chip to the full-back and found only touch. Leicester are fizzling out. Like their season?
86 min: Chilwell glides past Gomes but can’t beat Coleman.
85 min: Leicester take an age to deliver a corner. And then Gray flops it straight to the defender and the near post. This is not good enough from Leicester.
82 min: Iheanacho lopes down the right on to a dinked pass over the top. He dabs an elegant pass into the danger zone. But it’s fractionally too high for Vardy.
80 min: Leicester substitution: Gray and Perez on, Albrighton and Tielemans off. A huge 10 minutes on the way for Leicester. Turn this around and it’ll be a mighty boost to their confidence and their top four hopes. Fail, and Chelsea, Wolves and Manchester United will be sensing their blood. “If the Brendon and envelopes thing is getting a bit old here, I can only imagine what the Rodgers family goes through every time the post is delivered,” guffaws Ian Copestake.
78 min: Everton substitution: Bernard on, Gordon off.
76 min: Chilwell tries to outfox Coleman and get in a cross. But Coleman’s having none of it.
75 min: Maddison and Iheanacho have made a big impact since coming on. And they’ve just combined beautifully to work their way into the area. Maddison then lofts a cross from the byline towards the back post. It eventually comes to Chilwell, who wellies it into the stands from eight yards.
75 min: Pickford booked for time-wasting.
74 min: Everton now have a five-man defence. Mina, in the heart of it, heads Chilwell’s latest cross clear.
72 min: Iheanacho skips between two and then wraps his foot around a decent low shot from 20 yards. Pickford gets down to it and doesn’t mess up.
67 min: Everton substitution: Mina on, Iwobi off. it’s all about clinging on to the lead now for Everton.
66 min: Drinks break. “Just catching up on this and have been led to ponder sending the keeper the wrong way for a penalty hit straight down the middle”, drawls Geoff Wignall. I get the point you’re trying to make, Geoff. But I submit that if a keeper did not go the way that the ball went, then he went the wrong way.
65 min: Pickford runs of his line as he goes fishing at he back post for a long cross by Albrighton. Vardy gets to it first and nods it back to Iheanacho, who does brilliantly to flip it over the head of Keane. But he can’t keep his shot down, blasting over from eight yards. Leicester are banging on that door, though, and Pickford isn’t helping his defenders’ nerves.
62 min: What a blunder by Pickford! He allowed a harmless low cross from the left to roll through his hands. Keane, caught unawares, nearly nudges it over his own line from close range! But he recovers in time to swipe it clear. Leicester were millimetres away from drawing level!
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61 min: Brilliant work by Maddison. He showed close control and wriggly skills to weave his way past three and into the area. But he was off-balance when he fired of a left-footed shot. Blocked.
60 min: Everton push back Leicester for the first time in this half. Justin has to make a great block to deny Sigurdsson from the edge of the area after clever work down the right by Iwobi.
57 min: Everton substitution: Davies on, Richarlison off. That whack that the Brazilian took around his ankle from Ndidi has forced Everton into a change. Introducing a midfielder for the striker is no doubt intended to stem the flow that Leicester have get going in the second half.
54 min: Leicester have been much sharper since the break, and even more so since their goal. Their passing is sharper and smarter. Everton are having to strain harder to keep them at bay. But they’ll get a break now because Ndidi has arrived late into a tackle on Richarlison. A booking for the midfield, some treatment for the striker.
GOAL! Evereton 2-1 Leicester (Iheanacho 51)
Leicester have changed all right! Their substitute gets them back in the game thanks partly to a lucky break. Tielemans floated a pass into the area, which Vardy helped on. Iheanacho ran on to it and Pickford tried to whack it clear but smashed the ball into the striker’s head. Iheanacho didn’t care when he saw the ball bounce into the net. Game on!
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48 min: Digne unloads a rockets from long range. Justin tries to block it and is knocked over! The changes trajectory to much that Schmiechel has to scramble across to the other side of his goal and tip it out for a corner.
46 min: Unsurprisingly, Leicester have made changes: Maddison and Iheanacho are on in place of Barnes and Praet. Will the new arrivals help give Leicester the spark they’ve lacked so far?
Half-time: Everton 2-0 Leicester
That was quite accomplished from Everton. They took the lead through a well worked goal, then got a lucky break with a penalty for a handball by Ndidi. Since then Everton have pretty much kept Leicester at arm’s lengths, rejecting a slew of crosses from either flank. Only twice have Leicester picked a way through the middle: the first time resulted in a shot by Tielemans being blocked, and the second one ended with Pickford making a fine save to deny Vardy. Leicester’s Champions League ambitions are at stake: the second half will is going to be huge for them. “If Leicester carry on with this form, Brendan will be opening those envelopes early,” blurts Stephen Carr.
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45+2 min: Everton are finishing the half strongly. They’re making Leicester chase them, and Leicester aren’t doing that particularly effectively. Everton look sharper.
45 min: Everton pass their way froward crisply. Then Digne fizzes over a low ball from the left-hand side and Richarlison fails to make a clean connect. That was very similar to his goal, except for the finish.
44 min: After a few more crosses are slung in and repelled, Barnes tries to go for goal directly from long range. His shot whizzes into the stand. No fake ‘ouch’ from the crowd?
42 min: A beautiful sliding tackle by Chilwell brings an abrupt end to a burst down the right by Iwobi. Leicester resume probing at the other end.
40 min: Barnes flips over a fetching cross from the left with the outside of his boot. Albrighton traps it 10 yards out, but Digne then blocks his shot. Justin latches on to the loose ball and had a pop from long-range. A reasonable idea, but his shot veers away from the target.
39 min: Everton zip the ball around for a bit, their first sustained phase of possession for a while.
37 min: Justin does well to win a corner down the right. Albrighton’s delivery is cleared as far as Tielemans, whose thunderous volley from the edge of the box is blocked by Keane. Soyuncu’s head the ball back into the area and Vardy finds himself free in front of Pickford! He tries to nudge a low shot past the advancing keeper, but Pickford makes an excellent save with his feet!
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37 min: Chilwell sends over a cross from the right. Cleared. Justin sends over a cross from the right. Cleared. Chilwell sends in another from the left. Cleared. Yes, there’s a pattern alright.
36 min: Everton have Leicester where they want them. The hosts are absorbing Leicester’s attack, most of which conclude with hopeful crosses; then Everton spring forward on the counter.
34 min: Digne sends his corner beyond the back post. Keane tries to loop it back into the danger zone but it drops down on to the top of the net.
33 min: Albrighton sends over another decent cross. This time Leicester had more bodies in their to try to get on the end of it. But Keane clears again. And then Everton rip forward on the counter. Iwobi’s attempt to pick out Calvert-Lewin is diverted behind for a corner.
31 min: Justin motors down the right, then lays the ball off to Albrighton, who bangs over a cross from the touchline. Keane takes command and nuts it away.
29 min: Albrighton hares back to stop Digne centring from the left. Corner to Everton. Sigurdsson’s delivery is cleared by Soyuncu.
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27 min: Coleman makes another important intervention, this time tracking Barnes’ crossfield run and then poking the ball off his foot.
26 min: Praet whips over a dangerous cross from the right. Coleman does very well to nod it away before Barnes can connect.
23 min: Drinks break. And plenty of food for thought for Rodgers. He seems to be making a point to his players very strenuously. Let’s see how they react.
21 min: Calvert-Lewin charges into the box after being released from deep. Soyuncu runs over to challenge him. They go shoulder to shoulder and the striker hits the deck. But the ref’s not falling for that.
20 min: The fake Everton fans are in full voice on my TV. But Leicester are still out of tune. Evans tries to go long for Vardy, but its easy pickings for Keane. “If you don’t like fake crowd noise, I take it you’re not a big fan of laugh tracks on sitcoms?” chortles Robert Andrews. Dead right. Canned laughter is fascistic peer pressure.
GOAL! Everton 2-0 Leicester (Sigurdsson pen 16)
The Icelander sends Schmeichel the wrong way and strikes the ball into the middle of the goal. Leicester are in a world of bother! The top four spot that looked so secure is under serious threat now. But they’ve got plenty of time to get something from this match yet.
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PENALTY! VAR has ruled that the ball hit Ndidi’s hand first.
13 min: Sigurdsson curls in a freekick from the left. Keane and Ndidi leaps to head it ... but it hits hands before anyone gets their noggin to it. VAR is having a look: did it hit Ndidi’s or Keane’s? Both! But which did it hit first? VAR is taking an age to decide, which suggests it’s not clear and obvious.
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11 min: Rodgers said getting an early goal would give his team the confidence boost they need. But what effect will going behind have on them? Their immediate reaction is positive, as they hurtle down the other end and create a half-chance for Praet, whose shot from 20 yards is deflected wide.
GOAL! Everton 1-0 Leicester (Richarlison 9)
Gordon runs on to a headed pass down the left, then pulls the ball back from the byline into the path of Richarlison. The Brazilian ignores a lunge by Chilwell and slams a low shot into the net from nine yards.
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6 min: It’s been fairly even so far but not boring. The tempo is good and the duels vigorous; but both teams have pretty much matched each other.
4 min: This fake crowd noise is dangerous. You don’t want people getting used to believing in things they can see aren’t true. The government have been trying that for too long already. Plus, it’s good to hear the players holler; some might say it’s reassuring to hear that top superstars don’t tend not to shout anything esoteric, just roar “man on”, “tuck in” and “oi ref!” like you and I.
2 min: Nice patient play by Leicester. Then Tielemans makes an incision with a sudden change of pace and a body swerve past one opponent at the edge of the D. He slips a pass through to Vady, who takes a touch and readies himself for a shot from 15 yards .... but Digne does exceptionally well to put himself between the striker an the ball, which he ushers calmly back to Pickford. Still, that was encouraging from Leicester, especially the flicker from Tielemans, from who a return to form would be very welcome.
1 min: Leicester set the ball rolling.
The teams saunter into the empty arena, with Z cars blaring out at its usual volume. The players, meanwhile, are dressed as if their outfits were chosen hastily from a traditional babyware outlet: Everton are in blue, Leicester in pink.
Laurels and Vardy
In cricket they talk about the “nervous nineties”, when a batsman can start asking himself all kinds of paralysing questions after swishing his way to the brink of a century. Should he blast his way to that 100? Should he play tight to make sure he gets there? Often those questions prey on his mind so much he gives his wicket away. Is that what’s happened to Jamie Vardy lately? He’s been tantalisingly close to reaching 100 Premier League goals for a heck of a long time now: he had 97 by the turn of the year but since then has only added made it to 99 thanks, having scored against no one other than Aston Villa in 2020. But here’s the thing: he hasn’t missed a huge amount of chances; the problem has been a lack of regular service: Maddison and especially Tielemans have gone a little flat lately, while the likes of Barnes and Gray are not consistent enough. Add in the fact that Ndidi was injured for a while and Ricardo Pereira is still absent and you see why Leicester haven’t been firing on all cylinders. But they’re not far off, and one big win, no matter how it comes could help them get their groove back. And Vardy may finally get his 100 up - and what a feat that would be for a guy who was still playing in non-league at the age of 25. Today could be the day.
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Pre-match chit-chat
Carlo Ancelotti says Everton are still in the hunt for a European place, saying “our aim is to be in the fight until the last game of the game of the season.” Rodgers, meanwhile, says the first goal in today’s game could be crucial, suggesting that if Leicester get it, the surge in confidence will help them rediscover their pre-Christmas vibrancy.
Teams
Everton have made two changes to the side that started the win at Norwich, with Gordon and Sigurdsson replacing Davies and Bernard. Leicester, meanwhile, have introduced Albrighton for Perez. James Maddison is only fit enough for a place on the bench
Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Holgate, Keane; Digne; Iwobi, Gomes, Sigurdsson, Gordon; Calveret-Lewin, Richarlison
Subs: Stekelenberg, Virginia, Baines, Mina, Davies, Bernard, Kean, Branthwaite, Baningime
Leicester: Schmeichel; Justin, Soyuncu, Evans, Chilwell; Ndidi, Praet; Albrighton, Tielemans, Barnes; Vardy
Subs: Ward, Morgan, Fuchs, Choudhury, Mendy, Maddison, Gray, Pérez, Iheanacho
Referee: S Hooper
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Preamble
Hello there. If you’re looking to banish a creeping sense of anti-climax, then you’ve come to the right place. Because Leicester are trying to shake off that exact same feeling. After excelling to get themselves third in the table, they’ve started to teeter, and now there’s real danger of them tumbling out of the Champions League slots. Given that Brendan Rodgers’ side advanced far in both cup competitions only to fall flat, there are question marks about this youngish team’s ability to hold their nerve when the heat is on. And make no mistake: with Wolves, Chelsea and Manchester United hitting powerful strides, the heat is on, on, on!
As for Everton, the early stages of their evolution under Carlo Ancelotti have been promising. He has tightened them up and has a top-half finish in his sights. His team haven’t conceded a goal since emerging from lockdown; meanwhile, Jamie Vardy has failed to score in 12 of his last 13 appearances. Something has got to give, right? Because 0-0 would do no one any good. Action stations!
