London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

Leicester & Everton remain in trouble after chaotic draw

Leicester & Everton remain in trouble after chaotic draw

Leicester City and Everton had to settle for a draw in a chaotic match which leaves both in deep trouble at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

The two clubs started the game in the bottom three but a point was enough to drag Leicester out of the drop zone on goal difference, while Everton stay 19th, one point behind 17th-placed Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin opened the scoring with just his second goal of the season from the penalty spot, picking himself up to convert after being bundled over by Timothy Castagne.

The lead lasted just seven minutes as the hosts equalised through Caglar Soyuncu, who rolled home a cool finish from Wout Faes' knockdown.

And Leicester turned the game around after 33 minutes as the sprightly Jamie Vardy latched on to James Maddison's through ball before rounding Jordan Pickford and stroking home.

The Toffees should have levelled before half-time but Calvert-Lewin contrived to miss an open goal from a couple of yards with the ball appearing to strike his heel, before Leicester broke down the other end and Vardy struck the crossbar.

There was still time in a breathless first half for Pickford to save Maddison's penalty, which was struck straight down the middle by the England midfielder.

It proved costly as the visitors drew level nine minutes after the restart when Alex Iwobi guided in a low finish, but neither side were able to find a winner.

Everton, meanwhile, will also be concerned by a serious-looking injury to captain Seamus Coleman, sustained in the opening period following a collision with Boubakary Soumare.


Leicester fail to hold on


The game ebbed and flowed between two sides aiming for top-flight survival but was a missed opportunity in their aim to escape the relegation mire.

An electric atmosphere was generated at King Power Stadium by both the home fans with their 'clappers' and the away supporters through their vociferous backing.

Ultimately, Maddison's penalty miss at the end of the first half turned out to be the crucial moment - the playmaker was made to wait to take the spot-kick before fluffing his effort straight at Pickford.

It would have put Leicester 3-1 up and possibly out of sight, but Sean Dyche's men clawed out a draw courtesy of Iwobi's well-taken strike on 54 minutes.

Midfielder Maddison was heavily involved throughout the game as well as the miss from 12 yards, and saw a low drive and curling effort kept out by his England team-mate.

The home side recovered from Calvert-Lewin's 15th-minute penalty to turn the game around as defender Soyuncu levelled and Vardy rolled back the years with a vintage finish.

But Leicester's issues lie in defence where a porous backline have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their past 19 games, dating back to November.

They also missed the opportunity to collect back-to-back victories at home for the first time in a year and bear all the hallmarks of a relegation-threatened team.

Despite being on a three-game unbeaten run, the Foxes have won just one of their past 12, picking up only six points in the process.

Leicester have four games remaining to preserve their top-flight status, away at Fulham and Newcastle and home games against Liverpool and West Ham on the last day of the season.


Where will Everton's next point come?


Like their opponents, Everton are stuck in a rut. Despite a bright start the Toffees have now won just one of their past 11 games under Dyche, and the eight points gained on that run have not been enough to drag them out of trouble.

This was a significant chance to get back to winning ways and it started well through Calvert-Lewin's thumping penalty, but it is difficult to see where the points might come in their remaining games.

They travel to impressive Brighton in their next match, before hosting league leaders Manchester City and rounding off their season at Goodison Park against in-form Bournemouth.

In between, they face a trip to Wolves - but that too is a tough ask for a side winless in their past 15 on the road and victors in just two of 34 away league games.

The league's lowest scorers managed to bag two this time, and Dyche will be satisfied to rescue a point, but it could have been so much better with more clinical finishing.

Daniel Iversen made a stunning reflex save to deny Iwobi early in the first half, and the Danish goalkeeper also kept out efforts including Calvert-Lewin's shocking miss and Dwight McNeil's strike from eight yards out.

But he saved his best until late when Everton pushed for the winner and Abdoulaye Doucoure strode forward before unleashing an arrowed low drive which Iversen turned round the post at full stretch.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
UK Prime minister, Mr. Keir Starmer, has stated that any peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine "MUST" include a US security guarantee to deter Russian aggression
×