City find winning formation to put Seagulls to flight
RODGERS’ SWITCH TO BACK FOUR IS KEY TO SPARKLING FIRST HALF
LEICESTER City last night moved to within a point of the Premier League summit after a sparkling performance saw off Brighton.
A sublime 20-minute period before half-time saw James Maddison strike twice – one a firsttime finish, the other a stunning, curling finish – with Jamie Vardy entering the Premier League’s alltime top 20 scorers by rounding off the move of the match with a tap-in.
The result means City are the only team in the Premier League to have eight wins from 12, and leaves them third, one point behind Spurs and Liverpool after a weekend in which all of their rivals stumbled.
Earlier, the top two could only draw away from home, while the Manchester clubs played out a stalemate on Saturday, with Chelsea slipping to defeat against Everton.
That provided City with an opportunity to take advantage, and they did not let it pass.
After a difficult start in which Kasper Schmeichel had to make an important save to deny Danny Welbeck, Brendan Rodgers changed formations and City did not look back, playing some of their best football of the campaign to exploit an open Brighton side and rack up three goals before half-time.
In the second half, City changed tact, keeping the ball away from the Seagulls to deny them a route back into the game.
Now, a victory on Wednesday over Everton will see them go top before Liverpool and Spurs go head-to-head later in the day.
City headed into the Brighton game with three home losses already to their name, matches in which the back-three system did not work particularly well.
In the defeats to West Ham and Fulham in particular, City were stifled in attack while not totally secure at the back.
Still, Rodgers opted to stick with the formation, making one change from the 2-1 win at Sheffield United – Wilfred Ndidi coming in for his first Premier League start since September, with Papy Mendy missing out for the first time in the league this term.
And although City went into the interval with a three-goal lead after some scintillating football, they would not have done if not for a formation change midway through the period.
The first five minutes were frantic. Ndidi and Maddison had chances from short corners, and then Marc Albrighton, electric in those opening moments, shot straight at Brighton’s keeper Mat Ryan.
At the other end, Alireza Jahanbakhsh forced Kasper Schmeichel to parry away as he met a cutback and curled a shot towards the bottom corner.
Then came arguably the key moment of the first half.
With a few passes, Brighton completely ripped City apart, Solly March sending Jahanbakhsh away before he slotted through Danny Welbeck.
Thankfully for City, Schmeichel spread himself to deny the England international with his outstretched leg as tried to finish in the bottom corner.
It was far too easy for the visitors, and there was no response from City.
Brighton were growing in confidence, and after 17 minutes, when Justin was outnumbered on the left flank, Rodgers started bellowing instructions. He was switching to a back four.
The change made an instant impact. City’s football was much slicker and they took control of the match, Maddison shooting into the side-netting after a move that should have been a warning to Brighton.
Then came the first big chance. Youri Tielemans threaded the eye of a needle to find Justin galloping into the box, and while he was just denied by a Brighton intervention, the ball fell to Vardy.
From the tightest of angles, he slammed the ball against the post.
But moments later, City had the lead. Justin, superb on the front foot in the first period, rushed down the right and crossed to Vardy, the ball deflecting to the edge of the box where Maddison was stationed, his first-time leftfooted shot trundling into the bottom corner.
The quality of play only improved. Minutes later, Justin shaped to cross and then cut it back to Ayoze Perez who drilled a shot to the far corner, the Spaniard only denied a second goal in as many games by an excellent fingertip save by Ryan. City were finding joy on the right, and Brighton were not learning, so Justin continued to be the outlet, the full-back setting up the second for Vardy.
Albrighton switched play to Perez, who had Justin sprinting around him on the overlap.
Perez found the England Under21 international, who crossed first time onto a plate for Vardy to tap in.
After a VAR check for offside, the goal was confirmed.
It took Vardy to 12 for the season, and to 113 in the Premier League, level with Romelu Lukaku and Ian Wright in 19th on the alltime standings.
City weren’t done there. More neat link-up between Perez and Vardy saw Maddison receive the ball on the edge of the area.
Fronted up by Dan Burn, the number 10 threw in a few stepovers and body feints to create space, then bent the ball beautifully into the far corner with his left foot.
It was a delicious goal from a player clearly enjoying himself.
The second half was about professionalism, especially on a pitch that was beginning to cut up following extremely heavy downpours before kick-off.
City couldn’t allow Brighton a route back into the game, and they shut the visitors down successfully.
Schmeichel was only once called into action in the second period as Neal Maupay controlled a cross on his chest and tried an acrobatic effort, the shot tame enough to be saved comfortably.
In fact, the low moment of the second half was a yellow card for Jonny Evans that means he is suspended for Wednesday’s game with Everton.
City had a couple of opportunities themselves, Maddison dancing his way through his challenges as he looked for a hat-trick but Ryan was equal to his shot, and then Ndidi ballooning over after Harvey Barnes’ cut-back.
Neither mattered - City’s excellent first half was more than enough for the three points.