PUEL RETURNS IN TRIUMPH TO SINK THE SAINTS
CLAUDE PUEL’S Leicester produced the perfect display on the manager’s first return to his former club. The Frenchman was sacked by Southampton in June following a supporter backlash over his dull brand of football. Last night his Leicester side played probably the best football Saints fans have ever seen the Frenchman put on at St Mary’s. Puel’s Southampton never scored four here and Leicester amassed as many in one night as Saints had in his last eight home games in charge. ‘I leave this feeling for other people,’ said Puel of his critics. ‘I tried to give them my best here and I think we had some fantastic games and fantastic journeys. It was a great introduction to the Premier League for me and perhaps allowed me to become a better manager.’ Yet this was not a one-off to settle an old score. Leicester have looked like this since Puel took over in October. Heavy rainfall made for a slippery pitch at kick-off and two tumbles played a significant part in Leicester’s 11th-minute opening goal. Riyad Mahrez was 40 yards from goal when he checked back and fell, unintentionally disarming Southampton’s nearby players. He got up to run at goal and when nearest opponent Mario Lemina slipped, the space opened up for Mahrez to fire across goal and into the bottom-right corner. If Puel is trying to make a point at Leicester about his perceived dull style it is coming across clearly — this display securing their fourth straight Premier League win. It was all Leicester and all the exciting football which was largely absent from Puel in his spell here. They were two ahead by the 32nd minute from an audacious move. Mahrez’s corner was met by Christian Fuchs on the volley and the ball bounced between Steven Davis and Fraser Forster before Shinji Okazaki finished. Leicester had three by half-time and even that scoreline was kind on the hosts. Centre back Harry Maguire was able to chest down Mahrez’s long free kick inside Southampton’s penalty area and when he sent the ball hard across the six-yard box, Andy King scored at the back post. Puel celebrated 3-0 just like he celebrated Southampton’s goals in last season’s EFL Cup final. This obviously meant more than a standard away win. The chances kept coming. Lemina desperately slid back to clear Okazaki’s shot from the goal line. Forster then spread himself to deny Vardy following a rapid Leicester break and Southampton’s goalkeeper parried Okazaki’s 20-yard shot which hit Virgil van Dijk. ‘Are you glad you sacked Puel?’ came the chant from the travelling supporters. There was no response. Maya Yoshida pulled one back with a 61st-minute headed goal. It was the first time a Japanese player had scored for each side in a Premier League match. Leicester soon had their fourth, however. Cedric Soares played a terrible cross-field ball straight to Mahrez, who slipped Vardy down the right channel and his cross was met by Okazaki. The Saints supporters who booed Puel during a lap of appreciation on the final day of last season are likely to be those who exited with 20 minutes left last night.