Season Review: Three Wins On The Spin In March
Following a 2-1 reverse to Watford at Vicarage Road, City overcame Fulham, Burnley and AFC Bournemouth to climb the Premier League table.
Jamie Vardy, meanwhile, netted a brace for the Foxes during a 3-1 success over Fulham, taking his tally of goals for the Club up to 100.
Watford 2 Leicester City 1
Sunday 3 March, 2019
Premier League
Vicarage Road
Deeney 5', Gray 90+5'; Vardy 75'
A 92nd-minute strike from Andre Gray handed Watford a 2-1 Premier League win over Leicester City at Vicarage Road.
During his first game in charge of the Foxes, Brendan Rodgers made only one change to the side that defeated Brighton & Hove Albion, as skipper Wes Morgan replaced Demarai Gray in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
A difficult start to the Northern Irishman’s reign saw Hornets captain Troy Deeney flick a header past Kasper Schmeichel, who just moments earlier was on hand to deny Adrian Mariappa at the front post.
The Foxes recovered from their early setback and managed to gain a foothold in the game as Academy graduate Harvey Barnes fired over the crossbar on 18 minutes after a good cross from England international left-back Ben Chilwell.
A well-timed challenge from Jonny Evans prevented Abdoulaye Doucouré from doubling the Watford advantage, while Schmeichel was on hand again just after the half-hour mark to gather Gerard Deulofeu’s low shot.
Watford 2 Leicester City 1
Watch the highlights from Vicarage Road as the Foxes were defeated 2-1 by Watford in the Premier League.
After the interval, it was Schmeichel who this time had to deny Frenchman Doucouré as the Watford midfielder sent a curling effort on goal that the Denmark international stopper was equal to.
The game developed into a stop-start affair, but City continued to dominate possession of the ball and on 75 minutes nearly went ahead as Wilfred Ndidi’s delivery hit the top of Ben Foster’s crossbar.
However, a minute later, City had their equaliser. Youri Tielemans registered his second assist in a week to set up Jamie Vardy’s 10th Premier League goal of the season, as the No.9 applied a fine finish to the Belgium international midfielder’s well-weighted through-ball.
After Vardy’s strike, Rodgers’ men looked the most likely to go on and win the game, with Morgan heading wide from six yards out after good work from James Maddison on the left flank.
But it was Watford who sealed all three Premier League points in stoppage time as Deeney hooked the ball over the top of the City defence and into the path of Andre Gray, who fired beyond Schmeichel to win it for the hosts.
Leicester City 3 Fulham 1
Saturday 9 March, 2019
Premier League
King Power Stadium
Tielemans 21', Vardy 78', 86'; Ayité 51'
Jamie Vardy bagged a second-half brace to score his 100th goal for the Foxes, as Brendan Rodgers tasted victory for the first time as Leicester City manager.
The 3-1 triumph over Fulham came as a result of a dominant display at King Power Stadium, as City dictated play for the majority of the game.
A lively start from the Foxes saw Youri Tielemans fire off target with only six minutes on the clock, before Vardywas denied a goalscoring opportunity just moments later following an excellent challenge from Håvard Nordtveit.
Vardy and Tielemans then combined on 21 minutes as the City striker unselfishly set up the Belgium international midfielder, who took a touch before slotting into an open goal to get off the mark for the Club.
Academy graduate Harvey Barnes was unfortunate not to make it 2-0 just moments later after curling wide of Sergio Rico’s goal, while the Fulham stopper made easy work of two Tielemans efforts towards the end of the first period.
Goals: Leicester City 3 Fulham 1
Watch the goals from King Power Stadium where the Foxes beat Fulham 3-1.
After the interval, however, Fulham restored parity against the run of play through substitute Floyd Ayité, whose shot deflected off Harry Maguire and beat Kasper Schmeichel.
A brilliant save from Rico followed as Barnes was denied a maiden City goal, while Schmeichel was on hand shortly after to tip Aleksandar Mitrović’s header to safety.
Crucially, Vardy bagged Leicester’s second goal with 12 minutes to play after converting a perfectly-weighted delivery from James Maddison to take his goalscoring tally to 99 for the Foxes.
Just eight minutes later, Vardy struck again from a Barnes pass, applying a neat, low finish to beat Rico for the second time in the game.
The former Fleetwood Town man became only the seventh player in Leicester City’s history to score 100 or more goals for the Football Club.
Burnley 1 Leicester City 2
Saturday 16 March, 2019
Premier League
Turf Moor
McNeil 38'; Maddison 33', Morgan 90'
A 90th-minute header from Wes Morgan secured a 2-1 smash-and-grab victory for the 10 men of Leicester City over Burnley at a stormy Turf Moor.
City’s unchanged starting XI took to the pitch full of confidence following the triumph over Fulham, but they were handed a huge blow after just four minutes when defender Harry Maguire was shown a straight red card for bringing down last man Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
From the resulting free-kick, Burnley hit the bar, before centre-back Morgan was brought on in place of Demarai Gray, who was unfortunate to make way after creating two early opportunities for Ricardo Pereira and Jamie Vardy.
Brendan Rodgers' men knew they would have to be strong defensively and that showed on 13 minutes, when Nigeria international Wilfred Ndidi put in a superb last-ditch challenge to deny former Fox Chris Wood.
Settling into the game, City recovered well from their early set-back and a piece of magic from James Maddisonhanded them a 1-0 lead on 33 minutes, as the No.10 curled a belting free-kick into the top corner.
Goals: Burnley 1 Leicester City 2
Watch the goals from Turf Moor as the Foxes beat the Clarets in the Premier League on 16 March, 2019.
However, Burnley responded almost immediately and made their extra man count when winger Dwight McNeil swept a measured effort into the bottom corner past Kasper Schmeichel.
The second period proved to be a tight affair, and with a one-man disadvantage, Rodgers opted for a change of formation just after the hour-mark, as Christian Fuchs replaced Maddison and slotted into defence.
A flurry of penalty appeals came shortly for the Clarets, but they were waved away as Rodgers’ outfit continued to repel their opponents’ advances in Lancashire.
After McNeil hooked an effort over from inside the City box, the visiting side’s defiance was rewarded with a winning goal supplied by Morgan, who headed home Youri Tielemans’ delivery to spark jubilant scenes in the away end at Turf Moor.
Schmeichel had to deny Matej Vydra in injury time with a smart stop at his front post, but Morgan's header sealed the points for Leicester.
Leicester City 2 AFC Bournemouth 0
Saturday 30 March, 2019
Premier League
King Power Stadium
Morgan 11', Vardy 82'
Leicester City delivered an assured performance to record a comfortable 2-0 Premier League win over AFC Bournemouth at King Power Stadium.
Brendan Rodgers made only one change to the side that beat Burnley prior to the international break, with skipper Wes Morgan replacing the suspended Harry Maguire.
It took only 12 minutes for the Foxes to open the scoring in the Filbert Way sunshine.
Ben Chilwell’s attempt was heading wide before a clever flick from Morgan saw him steer the ball into the back of the net via the post - scoring his third goal in four matches.
Perhaps Bournemouth’s best opportunity of the game arrived shortly after the captain’s goal as Denmark international Kasper Schmeichel pulled off a brilliant point-blank save to deny Callum Wilson.
Goals: Leicester City 2 AFC Bournemouth 0
Watch the goals from the Foxes' 2-0 victory over the Cherries at King Power Stadium in the Premier League in 2018/19.
Attacker James Maddison, who this season has six goals and six assists to his name, then side-footed just inches wide of the target, before striker Jamie Vardy fired off target as City continued their search for a second of the afternoon.
Maddison then drilled over the crossbar on the hour mark – only a minute before King Power Stadium sang Khun Vichai’s name in emotional fashion in remembrance of our late Chairman to mark his 61st birthday.
Just minutes later, Portugal international Ricardo Pereira went on a brilliant run before seeing a strike blocked by Nathan Aké, while Vardy’s follow-up strike was saved at the near post by Asmir Begović.
With eight minutes to play, after dominating large periods of the game, City sealed the points as Vardy beat Begović to the ball to head in a pin-point cross from the excellent Youri Tielemans.
The win saw the Foxes record a maiden Premier League triumph over Bournemouth and in turn register three-straight victories for the first time since April 2017.
March in numbers:
LCFC goals: Eight
Top scorer: Vardy (four goals)
Premier League standing: Eighth