ON FRUITS FOREST
Leicester off bottom in style
DRIVING FORCE: James Maddison fires home Leicester’s third goal against Forest
73’4 Maddison 25’,35’, Barnes 27’, Daka
JAMES MADDISON produced a masterclass last night to fire Leicester to their first win of the season and leave Steve Cooper on the brink at Nottingham Forest.
Playmaker Maddison was sensational at the King Power Stadium to inspire Leicester off the bottom of the table.
His first-half double eased the pressure on City boss Brendan Rodgers and left Foxes chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha, attending his first game in over six weeks, high-fiving fans.
Harvey Barnes also scored a screamer either side of Maddison’s heroics before the in-form ace teed up Patson Daka later on.
It was a torrid East Midlands derby for promoted Cooper and their staggering 23 new signings who now replace Leicester propping up the table.
Cooper switched to a back four for the first time in six months but the Reds continued to haemorrhage goals.
First
The dismal display for a fifth successive loss must leave the club’s Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis with his finger on the trigger at the City Ground.
Rodgers was also in the spotlight in the build up as he aimed to avoid losing three consecutive home league games for the first time as a manager.
He stuck by under-fire keeper Danny Ward, despite the Welsh international conceding 22 goals in their first seven games but brought in Jamie Vardy up front for Daka.
Leicester had to contend with some early pressure from set pieces as Forest made a positive start.
But the hosts were the more dangerous side and should have (left) taken an early lead.
Maddison did superbly on the right to turn full-back Renan Lodi inside and out before picking out Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall unmarked in the six yard box.
But the midfielder somehow planted his header wide of the post.
The recalled Vardy also put a header wide and shot straight at Dean Henderson when clean through on the angle.
Yet it was Forest who went closest to breaking the deadlock in the 22nd minute after a great move involving Jesse Lingard and Morgan
Gibbs-White.
Gibbs-White’s defence-splitting pass released Taiwo Awoniyi but the striker’s rightfoot shot came back off the post.
It was a major escape for the hosts who went on to punish the visitors as they exploited the gaps in front of their defence.
Clearance
First dangerman Maddison cut in on to his right-foot and hit a shot from the edge of the box which deflected in off Scott McKenna in the 25th minute following a dire miscued clearance from Lingard.
Two minutes later Leicester doubled the lead when Barnes cut on to his right foot in a similar area and curled a fine shot into the far corner for his second of the season.
Ten minutes before the break the game was effectively over after Maddison bagged his fifth of the season.
Dewsbury-Hall was brought down by the hapless Cheikhou Kouyate outside the box in a central position and Maddison curled in the set-piece off the post.
It left Cooper an increasingly dejected figure on the sidelines as the goals flew in.
He responded with a triple substitution and Forest might even have pulled a goal back when Awoniyi was denied by Ward.
Chants
Cooper ended up using all five of his substitutes as Lingard was subbed to chants of “what a waste of money” from the home fans before Foxes sub Daka flicked in a fourth late on.
Leicester goalscorer Harvey Barnes said: “It was so enjoyable. After last season the result [4-1 loss versus Forest in February] in the FA Cup it made it a little more special.
“A derby game, with the season we have had, we were desperate for that win.”
Rodgers insists Maddison proved again that he should be in contention for the World Cup, saying: “It’s such a shame for the country and for him himself [that he’s not in the England squad].
“You can see his talent and his performances at this level in the last 18 months.
“James is an absolutely brilliant player and I hope he can somehow get into the team because if you want creativity and personality then he’s an absolutely outstanding player. He’s improved his defensive ability too.”