Leicester move out of relegation zone after

Posted Sunday, November 06, 2022 by PA

Midfielder Youri Tielemans’ brilliant volley set Leicester on their way to a 2-0 win at Everton which lifted them out of the relegation zone.

And while one England hopeful – James Maddison – enhanced his claims for a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad at Goodison Park another – Dominic Calvert-Lewin – could have seen his ended by injury.

Maddison, operating as one of two number 10s with the equally-impressive Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, was an influential figure throughout and, while he was credited with an assist, the goal owed everything to the brilliance of Tielemans.

Barring late misfortune the Belgium international, out of contract in the summer, is guaranteed to be on the plane to Qatar.

His second goal in three games, flicking the ball up with his first touch and hitting a dipping 20-yard volley just under the crossbar with his next, paved the way for a third win in four games which was clinched by Harvey Barnes’ late strike following another Maddison assist.

However, Everton, with four defeats in their last six, are still trying to find some consistency and are now only two points above the relegation zone themselves having been overtaken by the Foxes on goal difference.

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers dispensed with the back five he unsuccessfully employed last weekend against Manchester City, which gave Maddison and Dewsbury-Hall more freedom and it paid dividends.

Patson Daka, in for Jamie Vardy, was inches away from reaching Maddison’s lay-off to poke home the opener after just 18 seconds.

The striker then saw his weak shot saved by Jordan Pickford after Maddison and Dewsbury-Hall had combined again to supply another chance to Daka.

Alex Iwobi responded with a shot across Danny Ward and just wide of the far post after Idrissa Gana Gueye had robbed Boubakary Soumare on the edge of his own penalty area, while Calvert-Lewin would have had a goalscoring opportunity but for a heavy touch from Iwobi’s through-ball.

James Tarkowski had a header palmed behind by Foxes goalkeeper Ward but Maddison and Dewsbury-Hall continued to have the most influence, with the pair both denied in the same move by defensive blocks.

Maddison then cut in from the right but, having induced Tarkowski to commit himself to a fruitless lunge, Gueye deflected his shot wide, after which the game became scrappy with neither side able to retain possession long enough to construct anything meaningful.

There was a pause in proceedings a minute before half-time when Everton defender Conor Coady removed a spent firework which had landed on the pitch but there was still one more rocket to come before the break.

Daka’s shot was blocked and Coady could only half-clear the ball to Maddison who tapped back to Tielemans, who displayed world-class touch, vision and execution to break the deadlock.

Calvert-Lewin should have brought his side level early in the second half when played through by Iwobi but he failed to beat Ward, who stretched out a right foot to block.

Maddison hit the post on the hour before Calvert-Lewin departed straight down the tunnel with an apparent hamstring problem.

Should that be confirmed it would almost certainly end his chances of making a World Cup which starts in 15 days, especially as he has played only 339 minutes – and completed 90 minutes just once – this season after a knee injury delayed his campaign.

Everton’s woes were compounded in the 87th minute when Barnes fired home from 15 yards from Maddison’s cut-back.