LEICESTER
‘NOW Foxes are in the title race’
FROM the Europa League to a relegation dogfight – welcome to the Championship, Gerhard Struber.
It’s now 17 games without a win in n all competitions for Barnsley as the latest est Oakwell incumbent is forced to pick up the pieces.
And after his side twice came from m behind on his first game in charge the he sight of Bradley Dack bundling the ball all into the net with five minutes to go was all too much for the Austrian.
Struber said: “I’m really disappointed ted with the result. We had a clear plan to o win. One point was the minimum we deserved.”
Dack had opened the scoring, side- footing home after Adam Armstrong seized on an attempted clearance from m Ben Williams.
A half-time substitution pumped energy into Struber’s basement side, , Conor Chaplin deservedly levelling within three minutes of coming on.
But Rovers manager Tony Mowbray’s own masterstroke of f bringing on Stewart Downing off the bench paid off as he took advantage of f a spirited run from Joe Rothwell to bag g his first league goal since arriving from Middlesbrough.
Barnsley came again and Cauley Woodrow glanced in a cross from Chaplin, Rovers players claiming there was a handball.
Now looking the most likely side to snatch victory, the Tykes had to play second fiddle to Dack whose first effort following Darragh Lenihan’s headed cross was brilliantly kept out by Samuel Radlinger only for the maverick Rovers forward to force home.
Mowbray said: “It was all about three points in a dangerous game for us.”
BLACKBURN BARNSLEY 5 ........ Shots on Target .........5 1 .........Shots off Target .........6 2 ................Corners .................3 8 ..................Fouls .................. 14 5 ............... Offsides ..................1 65.7. Passing Success % ...74.7 353 .......Total Passes ........ 545 39 ........Possession % ......... 61 41.9 ..Territorial Adv % ... 58.1
BRENDAN RODGERS accepts he can’t shy away from questions about the title race any more.
Goals from Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy kept the Foxes’ bangwagon going and they were good value for their fifth victory in a row.
Rodgers knows he’s likely to be asked about his team’s title ambitions week in, week out from now on – especially with highly winnable matches against Everton, Villa, Watford and Norwich looming.
Rodgers said: “I know it’s coming and, hey, that’s OK – just as long as you’re still asking ki me about the title in April. We’re happy. We’re not shying away from anything.
“But also there are only 13 games gone, so what is most pleasing is the consistency of my side. That’s 18 goals in our last five games and we’ve only conceded one. That shows the mentality and hunger.”
Leicester showed all their qualities to win at the Amex, dominating the first half with attractive football, defending when Brighton woke up in the second half – and ruthlessly putting them to the sword on the break.
Striker Vardy was almost unplayable on the counterattack, setting up Perez for the opener after 64 minutes.
He added a twice- taken penalty to settle it – with VAR awarding the initial kick and then demanding a retake.
That was Vardy’s 12th goal of the season. No wonder Rodgers is beaming.
He added: “What’s great is that our supporters are singing about winning the league – and it’s the most competitive league in the world.
“So, that tells you where Leicester are and the dreams they have, which is brilliant.
“For me it’s about keeping the team focused because we have to work. But today I thought we played terrific.” For Brighton, this was a first home defeat since August
Boss Graham Potter ( below) said: “Yes, I ’m disappointed to lose but over the course of the game it’s probably a fair result.
“We showed real courage to stay in the game but Vardy, especially on the transition and turnover, is very dangerous.
“Leicester’s quality was high throughout the game. So we have to dust ourselves down and go again.”
The Foxes were not so much dominant in the first half as on a different planet. Perez hit the woodwork in the first minute, while livewire Harvey Barnes missed a series of chances as Brighton simply looked on.
The Seagulls were never going to be as passive in the second half and they upped their game to finally cause Leicester problems.
But the reality of Leicester is that they can do everything – dominate, play short or long, and play on the break under pressure.
So, just as Brighton got on top, the Foxes switched tactics and stepped up their counter-attacks.
Perez wasted one excellent chance from a lightning-quick