NO MERSEY FOR SILVA
Heartbreaking defeat means Everton boss may not survive long enough to face Liverpool in midweek
MARCO SILVA lost his last job as Watford boss after defeat at Leicester and he could suffer the ignominy of history repeating itself with this heartbreaking defeat.
His Everton side fought for him at the King Power Stadium but still chucked away the lead to crash to a third defeat in five top-flight games.
It leaves the Toffees hovering precariously above the drop zone in 17th spot to the dismay of owner Farhad Moshiri, who has pumped in millions.
And it must be doubtful if Silva (right) will even be in charge for Wednesday’s trip to unbeaten Premier League neighbours Liverpool.
The Portuguese coach will certainly be fearing the worst after the extraordinary finale here which saw substitute Kelechi Iheanacho win it in injury-time.
Referee Graham Scott initially ruled out Iheanacho’s finish for offside, but the goal was eventually awarded after consulting VAR.
The remarkable scenes sparked wild home celebrations, but saw Silva’s cautious game plan and approach go up in flames in tortuous fashion.
He went with a five-man defence for the first time in a year in a bid to stop the in-form Foxes.
It limited the supply line in the first half to the Premier League’s leading scorer Jamie Vardy.
And in Richarlison, Everton had some real quality to get their noses in front, as he headed in his fourth of the season in the 23rd minute.
Yet Vardy (below) eventually found his way past the visitors’ defence 22 minutes from time with a close-range finish. Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester then snatched a sixth successive league win for the first time since March 1963.
It left Silva staring in disbelief towards the same exit from where he departed the King Power in January 2018 after a 2-0 loss signalled the end of his Watford reign.
But Rodgers’ stock could hardly be higher after his superb work at Leicester since taking charge in February.
Yet Everton and their supporters will soon have to face up to the reality of a relegation battle with games ahead against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Silva’s men started well in a bid to inject some passion into their play after their dismal home loss to Norwich.
On-loan Monaco wing-back Djibril Sidibe fired a rightfoot shot over. But he kept probing and provided the cross from the right for the opener for Richarlison to power a header past Kasper Schmeichel.
Leicester tried to hit back immediately, but Sidibe was soon in his own box to put off Ayoze Perez when the Spaniard prepared to pull the trigger. The hosts thought they had got a penalty to get themselves back into the game when England fullback Ben Chilwell went flying in the box after Mason Holgate’s wild air shot.
But Scott’s decision to point to the spot was overruled by VAR in the 34th minute, which judged Holgate didn’t connect with Chilwell.
Leicester’s players were still moaning about the decision when they left the pitch at the break.
Yet they were soon a lot happier as their pressure paid off when Vardy tapped in his
13th of the season in the 68th minute.
Sub Iheanacho teed him up with a low cross-shot from the right, which Vardy steamed on to as he slammed in at the back post.
Leicester then remarkably grabbed all the points in dramatic fashion after Iheanacho ran on to Wilfred Ndidi’s pass to fire low into the corner for his first top-flight goal since September 2018.
Scott initially ruled it out for offside, but VAR allowed the goal to stand, as the hosts celebrated and Silva was left to contemplate the possible end of his Everton reign.