Another Pickford howler proves costly for Carlo as Everton hopes slip away
EVERTON 1 LEICESTER 1
JUST as it looked like James Rodriguez’s goal would secure a Everton victory, a mistake from Jordan Pickford cost them.
Yet it was nothing short of what Leicester deserved, even if it was a gift from the Toffees keeper.
Rodriguez’s first-half strike was worthy of winning any game.And this would have been a huge three points in the race for Champions League qualification.
But with 23 minutes to go,Youri Tielemans fired a low shot.
It had pace, it was a slippery surface and Pickford knows he should have saved it.
Instead, it squirmed through the England No1’s hands, leaving more questions to be asked about him as his error stopped Everton from bursting into the top four – and above neighbours Liverpool.
Boss Carlo Ancelotti says European football is the aim but this was a chance to show they can crash the Champions League party.
Brendan Rodgers will be happy, even though he will probably feel his Leicester side deserved more from this game.
He was certainly wondering how they fell behind on the half hour.
It was a bolt from the blue against the run of play and left the Foxes stunned.
James was initially believed to be an acquisition in the region of £20m last summer – which would still have been fine business for the former Real Madrid midfielder.
But the fact they got him for nothing, which was revealed earlier this month, makes it a steal when you see him do this. Rodgers will not be happy about the defending as James was given an age to pick his spot, after Wesley Fonfana failed to deal with his first effort.
The Colombian pinged his effort from 20 yards and it gave Kasper Schmeichel no chance as it hit the post and then the net for his first goal since October.
Despite their early possession, James Maddison clipping the bar from distance was Leicester’s only real chance of the half.
It would have been as fine a goal as Rodriguez’s if it had gone in.
Leicester lost their way a little after the opening goal.
It led to Schmeichel bellowing out a rather frank message of “**** sake we are better than this”.
He was right.
Rodgers’ words in the dressing room may have been even stronger.
Dominic CalvertLewin almost gave the Foxes a way back into the game after the break with a header that flew just past his own goal.
Defender James Justin also fired wide soon after when he was left in space.
Everton were starting to drop deep as the match wore on and Leicester flooded forward.
And Ancelotti’s men got their deserved equaliser in the 67th minute when the ball fell to Tielemans and his low shot went in.
EVERTON (4-3-3): Pickford 5; Holgate 6 (Iwobi 80), Keane 7, Mina 6, Godfrey 7; Gomes 6, Davies 6, Richarlison 7; James (Sigurdsson 85) 7, Digne 6, Calvert-Lewin 6 (Coleman 89). Goal: James 30. LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel 7; Castagne 6, Fofana 6, Evans 7 (Soyuncu 77), Justin 7; Ndidi 6 (Mendy 42, 6), Tielemans 7; Albrighton 6 (Under 68, 6), Maddison 7, Barnes 7; Perez 6. Goal: Tielemans 67.