LUKAKU ON HOME RUN
Romelu strikes twice as Toffees rout Foxes
ROMELU LUKAKU’S future at Goodison Park is in major doubt.
But there’s no doubting the home of Everton is a happy hunting ground for the Premier League’s top poacher.
Lukaku bagged a brace to take his total in the league to 23 for the season – one more than Middlesbrough have managed altogether.
It also helped the Toffees spoil Leicester’s warm-up for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid in a six-goal thriller as Craig Shakespeare suffered his first defeat as Foxes boss.
The Belgium striker was criticised for his drab display in last weekend’s Merseyside derby defeat at Anfield.
However, he is certainly enjoying some home comfort at Goodison Park, even if he has snubbed the offer of a new deal.
Everton have now scored 26 league goals on their home turf since the turn of the year and Lukaku has bagged 12 of them.
And after becoming the first Everton player to score in eight successive home games since Fred Pickering’s feat in the 1964-65 season, it’s little wonder Everton are so desperate for him to stay.
Boss Ronald Koeman insists Lukaku will not leave the club because he still has two years left on his contract. But it is performances like this that will have top clubs at home and abroad lining up with big offers.
Lukaku was not involved in every attack, but he showed his predatory instincts as he scored at vital times to shift the game’s momentum in his side’s favour and ensure three points.
It was also a win that keeps alive their slim hopes of catching fifth-placed Manchester United and leaves Leicester still short of a few points to ensure Premier League safety after their first league defeat since February 12.
While Lukaku was the predatory poacher, it was a player who has signed a long-term contract that bossed the midfield after netting inside 30 seconds.
Kevin Mirallas was hacked down on the edge of the area but referee Robert Madley rightly played advantage and teen star Tom Davies fired home.
Everton’s lead did not last five minutes though as a quick breakaway sent Demarai Gray clear before he fed Islam Slimani and the Algerian hitman found the net.
Leicester were then in front after Marc Albrighton’s cross from a free-kick somehow found the top corner with Everton keeper Joel
Robles misjudging the flight of the ball. That was three goals in 10 minutes but the fourth soon followed in the 23rd minute when Lukaku headed home.
The goal was created by a fine ball from Ross Barkley, who also put his below-par display in the derby behind him with a starring role.
The England midfielder almost got Everton’s third when Davies’ tackle saw the ball spin into his path but Foxes keeper Kasper Schmeichel recovered to push it off his toe.
From the resulting corner Everton were in front four minutes before the break as Phil Jagielka superbly headed home Mirallas’ corner.
After five first-half goals, this could have finished up as any scoreline with both defences looking dodgy. But there was only one goal in the second half as Lukaku lashed in after another Mirallas corner fell kindly to him at the back post.
Leicester had a couple of late chances as Robles was forced into a decent stop to deny Leonardo Ulloa, but the fourth goal for the Toffees had really killed the game.
The Foxes may have rested key players with their Euro first leg in mind, but they will have to be much better defensively or Atletico Madrid will run riot.