Magic Maddison show boosts the fairy-tale Foxes
STILL within reach – still more than possible.
Leicester may not have the depth of squad the top three possess but they do have that fairy tale, title-winning form over course and distance. So, why not? Fulham were put to the sword by Brendan Rodgers’ men – minus Jamie Vardy – with ruthless efficiency via goals from Kelechi Iheanacho and James Justin, both set up by James Maddison.
It provided the perfect response to that shock home defeat by Leeds last Sunday.
Manager Rodgers said: “Someone asked me before the game how I felt with just one point out of six.We are only human. I will happily take where we are after 22 games rather than nit-pick.
“We are going to lose games. It’s how you respond to those losses and I think the players are doing superbly.”
Seventeen minutes in, Maddison crossed from the right and Iheanacho headed in unmarked.
Then, a minute before the break, Maddison turned the home defence inside out before teeing up Justin to round the keeper and cap a fine team goal.
Rodgers added: “Strikers get their confidence from scoring goals. Kelechi was fantastic. If Kevin
De Bruyne had put in the cross that James did, we’d all still be talking about it.
“He’s an outstanding player.
“I’m so pleased he plays in my team.
“For that second goal, there was great technical quality and great energy.
“To end up with your left-back rounding the keeper after a 70, 80-yard run was fantastic.”
Fulham rallied in the second half with substitute Ivan Cavaleiro shooting narrowly wide and Justin providing a fine late block to deny Bobby Decordova-Reid. But the Foxes were too determined to stay in the title picture.
Fulham manager Scott Parker said: “We weren’t able to take our moments but do I see a team wilting away to a slow death? Not at all.
“I see a team fully committed to the game in hand.
“We want to give ourselves a fighting chance to stay in this division.”
FULHAM (3-4-3): Areola 5; Aina 5, Andersen 5, Tosin 5; Tete 5 (Cavaleiro 46, 6), Reed 6, Zambo Anguissa 6 (Lemina 46, 6), Robinson 6; LoftusCheek 6 (Decordova Reid 70, 5), Lookman 6, Mitrovic 5.
Schmeichel 8; Pereira 7, Evans 8, Soyuncu 8, Justin 8; Tielemans 8, Choudhury 7 (Mendy 61, 6); Perez 8 (Albrighton 61, 6), Maddison 9, Barnes 7 (Amartey 77); Iheanacho 8. Goals: Iheanacho 17, Justin 44.