MADD ABOUT THE BOY
3-0 Fab Fox James hits a stunning double to crush sorry Forest
JAMES MADDISON produced a masterclass to fire Leicester to their first win of the season and leave Steve Cooper on the brink at Nottingham Forest.
Maddison was sensational, inspiring the Foxes, who move off the bottom of the Premier League.
His two first-half goals eased the pressure on boss Brendan Rodgers and left chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, at his first game in over six week, high-fiving fans.
Harvey Barnes scored a screamer and Patson
Daka sealed victory.
It was a torrid East Midlands derby for promoted Cooper and his staggering 23 new signings, with Forest replacing last night’s hosts at the foot of the table. Cooper switched to a back four for the first time in six months, but his team continued to haemorrhage goals.
A dismal display and a fifth defeat in a row must leave owner Evangelos Marinakis with his finger on the trigger.
Rodgers (right) was also in the spotlight, as he aimed to avoid losing three consecutive league games at home for the first time as a manager.
He stuck by under-fire Danny Ward despite the Wales keeper conceding 22 goals in City’s first seven games but brought in Jamie Vardy up front for Daka.
Leicester had to contend with some early pressure from setpieces as Forest made a positive start. But the Foxes were the more dangerous side and should have taken an early lead.
Maddison did superbly on the right to turn full-back Renan Lodi inside and out before finding Kiernan Dewsbury-hall unmarked in the six yard box, but the midfielder somehow nodded wide. Vardy also off target with a header, then shot straight at Dean Henderson when clean through.
Yet it was Forest who went closest in the 22nd minute after a great move involving Jesse Lingard and Morgan Gibbswhite, whose defence-splitting pass released Taiwo Awoniyi, only for his shot to come back off a post.
It was a big escape for Leicester, who went on to punish Forest, exploiting the gaps in front of their defence.
First Lingard miscued while attempting to clear on 25 minutes and Maddison cut in to hit a shot from the edge of the box which deflected in off Scott Mckenna.
Two minutes later Leicester were 2-0 up when Barnes curled a fine shot into the far corner.
Ten minutes before the break the game was effectively over when Maddison bagged his fifth of the season.
Dewsbury-hall was brought down by the hapless Cheikhou Kouyate outside the box and from a central position Maddison curled in a free-kick off a post.
Cooper cut an increasingly dejected figure on the sideline as the goals flew in. He responded with a triple substitution for the start of the second half and Forest might have pulled a goal back but Awoniyi was denied by Ward.
Cooper used all five of his subs, Lingard being replaced to chants of “What a waste of money” from home fans.
The changes stabilised Forest but sub Daka flicked in a fourth late on to inflict a devastating defeat which neither Cooper nor his team may recover from.