RIYAD TO THE RESCUE
LEICESTER 1 WEST BROM 1
Riyad Mahrez became the player of old just when Leicester needed him last night with a late equaliser to earn his side a vital point.
Leicester were trailing with 10 minutes to go when the algerian was found by islam Slimani’s knock- down in the area and he had the skill to execute and score, chesting the ball down before driving a finish into the bottom corner.
having been dropped for Leicester’s last game, Mahrez celebrated his first goal since May by running to the dugout as if a point had been proved.
Certainly, Mahrez’s contribution was vital for Craig Shakespeare, who would have come under pressure had Leicester lost this game.
But Shakespeare’s late substitutions and switch to three at the back made a telling impact. it was Ben Chilwell’s cross and Slimani’s assist that led to the equaliser.
Before that it looked like Nacer Chadli had emerged from deep freeze at West Bromwich albion to send a chill down Shakespeare’s spine.
The Belgian had not played in the Premier League following a summer row with Tony Pulis and injury problems, but he provided a fine opener at the King Power Stadium. For a period it seemed his fearsome free-kick would prove the decisive moment of the contest, leaving Kasper Schmeichel flat-footed and Leicester on the back foot in a relegation scrap.
They do remain in the bottom three and still with only one victory — coming against Brighton in the second week — but at least this was not a damaging defeat.
The flip side is that this was not the victory required to kick-start an inconsistent season either. Boaz Myhill effectively played the last 30 minutes on one leg after a collision with Jamie Vardy and Leicester missed opportunities to test the West Brom goalkeeper more.
Myhill, who was fortunate to avoid a red card after bringing down Vardy, was playing his first league match since april 2016 after Ben Foster suffered a knee injury and refused to be taken off.
‘i’m in three quarters of a piece,’ said Myhill. ‘i was put in a situation to take one for the team and did what i had to do. Thankfully i didn’t get sent off. i think it’s a dead leg. i haven’t played for a year so no way was i going off.’
Pulis admitted the injury ‘ hampered’ Myhill’s ability but had no issues with him staying on, and he did punch clear a fierce strike from harry Maguire late on. Pulis delivered a more downbeat diagnosis on Foster, who injured himself playing football in the back garden with his child.
Myhill’s only other contribution came in the first half when a Christian Fuchs long throw fell to danny Simpson, who let fly with a powerful shot that needed strong wrists to keep out. Vicente iborra put an awkward rebound over.
The visitors preferred to play on the break and constructed a fine move in the 16th minute when Gareth Barry found Salomon rondon, who fed Kieran Gibbs. The left back picked out Chadli but he got his volley badly wrong.
Myhill was fortunate to remain on the pitch less than 60 seconds after the restart. Vardy beat the West Brom goalkeeper to ahmed hegazi’s woeful backpass and was promptly clattered to the floor. Mike dean showed leniency in issuing a yellow card.
From the free-kick on the edge of the area Craig dawson cleared Maguire’s goal-bound header and five minutes later Leicester should have been ahead.
Vardy’s backheel sent Marc albrighton free and his pull-back was crying out to be converted by Mahrez, but the algerian scooped his finish from eight yards over
instead it was West Brom who took the lead, and in spectacular fashion. Kelechi iheanacho conceded a free-kick close to 30 yards out after mis- controlling and Chadli sized up the shot. Gibbs provided a screen that suckered Schmeichel, who took a step to his right as Chadli’s arrow bent to his left.
as anxiety levels rose, Shakespeare made an attacking change to Leicester’s formation and was rewarded by Mahrez. But the murmurs of discontent that greeted the final whistle told of a result that fails to satisfy either side. West Brom are now without a win in six league games.
Shakespeare said: ‘riyad didn’t go away with algeria, he stayed at the training ground, and worked really hard. he will be disappointed to miss his first chance but he has character to keep going and got his just reward.’