Season Review: Leicester Begin 2019 With A Win On Merseyside
Jamie Vardy's solitary strike at Goodison Park sealed a 1-0 win over Everton on New Year's Day before a disappointing run of form for the Foxes.
However, Leicester ended the month with a hugely encouraging 1-1 draw at Liverpool, courtesy of Harry Maguire's first half strike at Anfield.
Everton 0 Leicester City 1
Tuesday 1 January, 2019
Premier League
Goodison Park
Vardy 58'
Jamie Vardy struck the winner for Leicester City as they defeated Everton 1-0 at Goodison Park in the Premier League on New Year’s Day.
Claude Puel made four changes to his side for the clash on Merseyside, with Danny Simpson, Jonny Evans, Hamza Choudhury and Rachid Ghezzal all making a return to the starting XI.
An uneventful first half saw Vardy, Ghezzal and Ricardo Pereira all have efforts for the visitors, while Everton right-back Jonjoe Kenny struck the woodwork with a fierce drive from range.
Puel introduced Marc Albrighton after the interval in place of Ghezzal, and the winger nearly created a goal for City after Jordan Pickford could only palm a delivery to the feet of Ricardo, who couldn’t capitalise.
Goal: Everton 0 Leicester City 1
Jamie Vardy scores at Goodison Park as Leicester City defeat Everton 1-0 in the Premier League.
Leicester found their opener on 58 minutes. Michael Keane’s error saw the ball fall to Ricardo, who immediately slipped in Vardy. The No.9 raced onto the pass and fired under Pickford before pulling off a brilliant somersault in front of the Blue Army.
From then on, City looked comfortable. They defended in numbers, looked dangerous on the counter-attack and were a threat from set-plays.
Academy graduate Ben Chilwell forced Pickford into a save with 10 minutes to play and Harry Maguire had a penalty appeal turned away a minute later after his header hit Keane in the area.
For Everton, Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson both had strikes blocked, while Kasper Schmeichel did brilliantly to deny substitute Cenk Tosun in injury time.
Newport County 2 Leicester City 1
Sunday 6 January, 2019
Emirates FA Cup Third Round
Rodney Parade
Matt 10', Amond 85'; Ghezzal 82'
Leicester City’s 2018/19 Emirates FA Cup campaign came to an end at the third round stage following a 2-1 defeat to Newport County at Rodney Parade.
A total of seven changes to Claude Puel’s side allowed midfielder Matty James to make his first start of the season, with Jonny Evans, Danny Simpson, Hamza Choudhury and Rachid Ghezzal all retaining their spots in the starting XI.
Despite Ghezzal forcing Newport goalkeeper Joe Day into a brilliant stop and Shinji Okazaki having a shot of his own saved early on at Rodney Parade, the hosts went ahead with 10 minutes on the clock as striker Jamille Matt headed in off the post.
Wales international goalkeeper Danny Ward made two fine saves to deny midfielder Matty Dolan either side of an effort from Marc Albrighton, who had his head in his hands after the ball deflected over the bar from close range.
Okazaki then flicked a header wide before winger Ghezzal, midway through the first half, curled a 20-yard free-kick over Day’s bar – right in front of the stand housing the Blue Army.
Another opportunity for striker Okazaki followed five minutes before the interval, but after good work from Christian Fuchs down the left-hand side of the pitch, his shot was blocked by Mickey Demetriou on the line.
Goals: Newport County 2 Leicester City 1
All three goals from Leicester City's FA Cup exit at the hands of Newport County.
After the break, Kelechi Iheanacho had a header saved by Day and shot wide from a tight angle, while Albrighton’s delivery struck the crossbar as City edged closer to a levelling goal in South Wales.
The introduction of Demarai Gray and James Maddison provided added threat going forward for City, with the latter seeing a low strike blocked by Fraser Franks deep inside the Newport box.
The Foxes finally found their equaliser on 82 minutes. Maddison’s initial effort was saved by Day, but Ghezzal, with a fine strike, found the top corner to make it 1-1 at Rodney Parade.
But the travelling side were level for just three minutes. A delivery from Vashon Neufville, on loan from Premier League outfit West Ham United, struck Albrighton’s arm in the box and Michael Flynn’s men were awarded a penalty.
Striker Padraig Amond, a former Northern Ireland Under-21 international, stepped up and converted from 12 yards to restore the Exiles’ lead with just five minutes plus stoppage time to play.
Substitute Andy King, making his maiden appearance of the term, looked to have rescued a draw in injury time, but his placed strike was swallowed up by Day in the Newport net.
Leicester City 1 Southampton 2
Saturday 12 January, 2019
Premier League
King Power Stadium
Ndidi 58'; Ward-Prowse pen 11', Long 45+2'
Leicester City were defeated 2-1 in the Premier League by the 10 men of Southampton, despite dominating proceedings in the second period at King Power Stadium.
Claude Puel made eight changes to the side that faced Newport County, while there was also a spot on the bench for Academy graduate Harvey Barnes, who a few days earlier was recalled from his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion.
The Saints were ahead on 11 minutes as James Ward-Prowse was on target from the spot after midfielder Papy Mendy fouled striker Shane Long in the City area – goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel unfortunate to concede after getting a hand to the penalty.
Schmeichel then had to palm away Dale Stephens’ header just before the half-hour mark, while Harry Maguire nodded wide at the other as the Foxes continued their search for an equaliser.
With 10 minutes of the first half to play, City came just inches away from finding the back of the net as skipper Wes Morgan saw his low strike cleared off the line by Poland international defender Jan Bednarek.
Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side were reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half-time after Yan Valery received his second booking of the game, handing the Foxes a huge opportunity to turn the clash around.
Goals: Leicester City 1 Southampton 2
Watch the goals from City's defeat to Southampton in the Premier League...
However, two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Long shrugged off the challenges of Mendy and Ricardo Pereira before finding the bottom corner to give Southampton a two-goal advantage heading into the break.
Academy graduate Barnes – making his first appearance of the season in Leicester colours – and winger Demarai Gray were both introduced by Puel for the second half as City set out to mount a comeback.
After efforts from Maguire, James Maddison and Jamie Vardy, the hosts finally found the back of the net. Good work from Ricardo down the right flank saw him find Wilfred Ndidi, who converted from close range to score his second goal of the campaign.
City had the Saints pinned in their own half for the majority of the second period, with Vardy and Barnes going close before Maddison curled just off target with 12 minutes to play on Filbert Way.
Vardy, Maddison and Ndidi all had wayward attempts in the closing stages, but the Foxes could not break down Southampton’s determined back line, as the South Coast outfit returned home with all three points.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 4 Leicester City 3
Saturday 19 January, 2019
Premier League
Molineux Stadium
Joata 4', 64', 90+3', Bennent 12'; Gray 47', Coady og 51', Morgan 87'
A spirited performance from Leicester City at Molineux Stadium ended in a narrow 4-3 Premier League defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In an attempt to bounce back from the reverse to Southampton, manager Claude Puel made three changes to his starting XI.
That provided a moment of pride for Academy graduate Harvey Barnes, who made his first top-flight start for the Foxes.
City were behind inside five minutes as Diogo Jota, from close range, converted Joao Moutinho’s cross, before defender Ryan Bennett made it 2-0 with a header shortly after.
Efforts from Barnes, Demarai Gray and Ricardo Pereira followed as the Foxes attempted to recover from the hosts’ two early strikes, while goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was on hand to deny Jota and then Raul Jimenez before the interval.
An incredible start to the second period saw Puel’s men restore parity with two goals in the space of five minutes. Gray scored a superb solo goal by racing past Roman Saiss and drilling under Rui Patricio, before a strike from Barnes found the back of the net via a deflection from Conor Coady.
Goals: Wolves 4 Leicester City 3
All the goals from Molineux as the Foxes were defeated 4-3 by Wolves in the Premier League.
In between City's two goals, however, Harry Maguire was forced to leave the pitch due to injury, and was replaced by Jonny Evans.
Back on level terms, an even passage of play followed, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s men restored their lead on 64 minutes, with Jota bagging his second goal of the game.
Replacing the impressive Barnes, Leicester No.10 James Maddison was introduced with 17 minutes to play in an attempt to claim a point from the game.
After side-footing wide from a Ricardo pass, he provided a brilliant assist from a free-kick for Wes Morgan to head home with just three minutes to play.
The skipper’s header looked to have secured a point for Leicester, but Jota completed his hat-trick in the third minute of injury time to snatch a win for the hosts.
Liverpool 1 Leicester City 1
Wednesday 30 January, 2019
Premier League
Anfield
Mané 3'; Maguire 45+2'
A gutsy display from Leicester City saw them return from Anfield with a valuable Premier League point following a 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
After a lengthy pause in league action, both sides were rested up as Jürgen Klopp’s men attempted to extend their advantage at the top of the table.
City manager Claude Puel made three changes to the side that faced Wolverhampton Wanderers 11 days earlier, as Jonny Evans, Marc Albrighton and James Maddison returned to the starting XI.
In wintery conditions, Liverpool went ahead after just three minutes as Sadio Mane found the bottom corner with a neat finish.
Denmark international Kasper Schmeichel was then on hand to deny Roberto Firmino, while Maddison had a huge opportunity to level matters, only to head wide of the mark on 24 minutes.
Battling away, the Foxes grabbed a deserved equaliser in first-half stoppage time. Wilfred Ndidi’s shot looped up and it was Ben Chilwell who was on hand to head back into the box to find Harry Maguire, whose composed finish made it 1-1 at the interval.
Goals: Liverpool 1 Leicester City 1
Harry Maguire cancelled out Sadio Mane's opener as the Foxes held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
Maguire threatened again after the break, as he headed back across the Liverpool goal and into the path of Ndidi, who couldn’t turn the ball home from close range.
As the Reds went in search of a winning goal, City looked to hit their opponents on the counter-attack and it nearly paid off when Jamie Vardy slipped in Demarai Gray, who fired straight at Alisson Becker with 18 minutes to play.
At the other end, Schmeichel produced a superb stop with his legs to prevent Firmino from scoring, before Andrew Robertson’s wayward volley failed to trouble City’s No.1.
A combination of fresh legs in the form of substitutes Hamza Choudhury, Shinji Okazaki and Kelechi Iheanachoand continued hard work saw City limit Liverpool to little or no chances in the closing stages.
It was, in fact, Academy graduate Choudhury who dismantled one of the Reds’ most threatening moves with only three minutes to go. Sprinting back at speed, his sliding challenge on Mane prevented Liverpool from mustering up a chance to win the game.
January in numbers:
LCFC goals: Seven
Top scorer: Vardy, Ghezzal, Ndidi, Gray, Morgan, Maguire (one)
Premier League standing: 11th