Tielemans provides take-off for jet-lagged Leicester
Jorgensen 60 Leicester City Tielemans 14, Maddison 73
Att: 16,814
Youri Tielemans orchestrated a third consecutive victory in what might be a season-defining week for Leicester City. On his 65th consecutive Premier League appearance – a record for a current outfielder – Tielemans’ spectacular opener was worthy of winning any game. But after Mathias Jorgensen had headed Brentford deservedly level, he had to be content with playing a decisive hand in James Maddison’s winner.
“Sign him on” sang the visiting fans; Tielemans is out of contract in June 2023 and uncertainty lingers. “My focus is on making him the best player he can be,” Brendan Rodgers, the Leicester manager, said. “His representatives and the club will discuss and negotiate; hopefully they can find a solution.
“He’s just such a wonderful guy to work with. You never lose sleep over Youri not being ready, or not being prepared, or doing daft things. He’s a young guy very focused on being the best player he can be. His goal today was a sensational strike.”
For the second time in a week – after the game against Chelsea – Thomas Frank was left pondering how his side had finished emptyhanded. For all the hearts Brentford are winning, they need a clinical touch to ensure top-tier life does not become uncomfortable. “It’s a game we are winning seven out of 10 times,” the manager said. “We absolutely hammered Leicester first half; that’s a team that came fifth last year. We pressed impressively, we won the ball, we dominated in possession. We created chances; they had nothing besides a moment of luck or brilliance, depending on which side of the fence you are on.”
Rodgers, on the other hand, was delighted with the outcome, if not the method, with Leicester spending the first half chasing shadows. In mitigation, they had made a 3,500mile round trip to Moscow midweek and improved after the break.
“Sometimes our freshness was maybe missing a little bit which is understandable,” Rodgers said. “But we had the moments of quality and the mental resilience.”
To say the opener came against the run of play is an understatement; never mind Leicester’s first effort on goal, it was virtually their first touch within 30 yards of it. Maddison’s floated free-kick was headed clear but, on the follow-up, Tielemans rifled in an unstoppable 25-yard effort.
Previously, Christian Norgaard had forced Kasper Schmeichel into a smart early save, with Pontus Jansson unable to direct his close-range header downwards a minute later.
Ivan Toney then saw his tap-in correctly chalked off from Rico Henry’s cross, and Bryan Mbeumo, too, should have hit the target after a flick-on by Toney. How many times will that be said this season?
The goal did nothing to shift the momentum. Leicester struggled for fluency, their midfield bypassed in favour of long balls towards the largely ineffective Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho. For all the hosts’ control though, only Toney troubled Schmeichel before the break.
The equaliser came on the hour, Jorgensen meeting Mathias Jensen’s corner at the front post. Jansson then nodded wide before Maddison administered the sucker punch. Tielemans sent substitute Patson Daka – introduced at half-time for Vardy, who had picked up an injury in the warm-up – racing through. Daka drew David Raya out and squared unselfishly for Maddison to bag his first goal since February.