SIGGI STARDUST
Silva hails Everton rocket man after he blasts home stunning winner
A SHOWREEL of Gylfi Sigurdsson goals would have been quite the watch already. Just for Everton he has hit an outrageous strike from the touchline against Hajduk Split and a zinger off bar and post at Southampton.
So it really is saying something that his latest is probably the best yet.
There seemed little danger for Leicester when, in the 77th minute, Sigurdsson shaped to collect a pass in midfield with his back to goal. But in an instant he had feinted away from James Maddison, who gave a rueful look to the skies, then let rip with a shot from 25 yards that bent into the top corner, the ball still seeming to accelerate as it hit the back of the net.
It was an extraordinary goal but in keeping with the attacking verve of Everton’s performance, one that should strengthen belief in Marco Silva’s approach. His team deserved victory, and the patterns played by his front four of Richarlison, Sigurdsson, Bernard and Theo Walcott told of quality and cohesion.
A second-half red card for Wes Morgan undermined Leicester but they were nevertheless short of the threat they carried in two successive wins. They failed to put Everton under much pressure and the closest they got to an equaliser was when Daniel Amartey headed Rachid Ghezzal’s late corner wide.
Everton were bolder and more energised. ‘This is our image,’ said Silva. ‘It will be so in the future more and more, I don’t have doubts about that. We pressed well. That showed how we wanted to come here and create problems.
‘But we have many things to do to keep improving. It is a very young squad and in some moments we have to be more mature, like when we conceded the first goal.’
Silva was frustrated at the way Leicester countered an Everton corner to equalise but overall was pleased at beating a talented team. Sigurdsson, Everton’s £45million record signing, was central even aside from his goal. ‘I know his quality,’ said Silva, who aimed thinly veiled criticism at Everton’s style under Sam Allardyce. ‘He’s playing a different role to last season. Our style is completely different. If you have a player like Gylfi and are always playing direct balls, it’s not for him.’
Another player who stood out was Bernard. Everton beat both Milan clubs to sign him from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer and on his first Premier League start the Brazilian showed why interest in him had been so high. He started by creating the opening goal after seven minutes. He beat Ricardo Pereira then Amartey with consecutive cutbacks before delivering a cross that eluded Kasper Schmeichel’s dive. Richarlison was waiting at the far post and though unmarked the finish he delivered was harder than it looked. He caught the ball flush on the halfvolley to score his fourth goal of the campaign.
Leicester’s passing was failing to click but when Claude Puel’s possession-based instructions are failing, his team still have the muscle memory of those counter attacks that won them the title. One break did bring the scores level five min- utes before the interval. Nampalys Mendy won possession at an Everton corner and Pereira exchanged lightning passes with Kelechi Iheanacho to race into the box. He put Jonjoe Kenny on the floor with two dragbacks before sending Jordan Pickford the wrong way.
However, the momentum swung back Everton’s way in the 63rd minute when Morgan was late to challenge Richarlison and was correctly shown a second yellow card.
Everton seized the initiative and Lucas Digne, Tom Davies, and Sigurdsson all drew good saves from Schmeichel. However, the Leicester goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Sigurdsson’s next strike.
LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel 6; Amartey 7, Evans 6.5, Maguire 7.5, Chilwell 7; Ndidi 6.5, Mendy 7; Ghezzal 5 (Gray 46min, 6), Iheanacho 7.5 (Albrighton 77), Maddison 8 (Okazaki 85); Vardy 7.5. Booked: Ndidi, Ghezzal.
HUDDERSFIELD (3-4-3): Lossl 6.5; Kongolo 6 (Pritchard 72, 6), Jorgensen 6.5, Schindler 6; Durm 6, Billing 6, Mooy 6, Lowe 6; Van La Parra 5, Depoitre 6.5, Kachunga 6 (Diakhaby 56, 5). Booked: Kongolo.
REFEREE: D Coote 4.