CRASH BAM WALLOP
Bamford inspires Leeds to comeback win as Foxes badly miss Vardy
FEW theories annoy Brendan Rodgers more than the one that says Leicester struggle to win without Jamie Vardy. But one point from two games since their top scorer had hernia surgery means those questions will not go away soon.
This was Leicester’s first defeat in 10 in all competitions as Patrick Bamford inspired Leeds to a comeback victory in front of England manager Gareth Southgate with a sensational strike and assists for Stuart Dallas’s equaliser and Jack Harrison’s clincher, meaning Harvey Barnes’ fine early effort for Leicester was in vain. The returns of Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi — who has a hamstring injury — cannot come soon enough for the Foxes.
‘We have won games without those players but we missed their physicality,’ said Rodgers. ‘Jamie gives you that penetration even when he’s not scoring, but we didn’t defend well enough and weren’t quite at our level.’
A win here would have taken Leicester within two points of leaders Manchester City, yet Leeds shaded a thrilling match featuring excellent displays from keepers Kasper Schmeichel and Illan Meslier.
But Leicester have now lost five league matches at the King Power Stadium this term, one more than in the whole of last season. And if they again finish outside the top four, they will bitterly regret those defeats by West Ham, Aston Villa, Fulham, Everton and now Leeds.
‘We need to find ways to be better at home,’ acknowledged Rodgers.
Marcelo Bielsa’s team were brilliant. When Leeds were beaten 6-2 at Manchester United in December, the Argentine was criticised for his refusal to play more defensively against stronger opponents.
Yet since promotion last season, Leeds have won nine matches with many of the players Bielsa (bottom right) inherited in the Championship when he took the job in 2018. Perhaps the 65-year-old does know what he is doing after all.
‘We showed that we can compete with the top teams,’ said Bamford. ‘We came close against Liverpool and we got a point against Manchester City. You can see by their position in the league that Leicester are a top team.’
With Vardy missing, the onus was on Barnes to provide a goal threat and he enhanced his case for an England spot with a brilliant opener in the 13th minute. Collecting the ball inside his own half, the winger glided past Luke Ayling before swapping passes with James Maddison and sliding the ball into the bottom corner.
Ayling and Kalvin Phillips could have done more to deny Barnes space, though luckily for Ayling he redeemed himself immediately. When Maddison tried to find Barnes, Ayling intercepted. Bamford received his pass and released Dallas, who guided the ball beyond Schmeichel.
Ayoze Perez had the ball in the net in the 20th minute, only for the goal to be correctly ruled out for offside. Mateusz Klich’s arrival in place of the injured Rodrigo preceded Leeds’ best spell of the half, when three superb saves from Schmeichel stopped them going ahead. The Dane pushed Harrison’s powerful angled volley behind and then, from the corner, somehow clawed out Bamford’s header right on the line.
Klich steered home the rebound but was offside. Schmeichel was at it again moments later with a brilliant low save to keep out Raphinha’s fierce drive following a one-two with Bamford. The final chance of an absorbing half fell to Leicester winger Marc Albrighton, who was denied from close range.
Rodgers replaced Albrighton with an extra centre back, Caglar Soyuncu, for the second half and switched to a back three. The move nearly paid off instantly when James Justin was found by Youri Tielemans, but dawdled on the ball, allowing Liam Cooper to block.
The game was far tighter in the second half until Bamford put Leeds in front with 20 minutes remaining. Jonny Evans’ clearance was poor and Tielemans failed to control it, which let in Pascal Struijk.
He found Raphinha and the pass was weighted perfectly for the run of Bamford, whose left-foot finish flew into the top corner — too good even for Schmeichel.
‘It was a beautiful goal because of the violence of the shot,’ said Bielsa.
Leicester tried to respond and came close three times. Struijk and Cooper combined to block Wesley Fofana’s effort, Evans steered wide from a yard after Soyuncu had flicked on Maddison’s corner, then Meslier pushed Perez’s volley around a post. Soon after, Meslier held Nampalys Mendy’s low strike.
At the other end, Pereira did superbly to deny Struijk from six yards.
But Leeds did seal the deal with a thrilling break six minutes from time. Struijk headed Maddison’s free-kick clear and Dallas took the loose ball and found Klich. The Pole released Bamford who — with Leicester players stranded upfield — ran unchallenged from inside his own half, before drawing Schmeichel and squaring for Harrison to tap into the empty net.
‘Patrick was unselfish and thought of the team,’ added Bielsa. ‘I value that more than anything.’ LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel 7.5; Castagne 6 (Pereira 37min, 6), Fofana 5.5 (Under 80), Evans 6, Justin 6; Tielemans 6.5, Mendy 6; Albrighton 6.5 (Soyuncu 46, 5.5), Maddison 6, Barnes 6.5; Perez 6. Subs not used: Ward, Iheanacho, Amartey, Choudhury, Fuchs, Thomas. Scorer: Barnes 13. Manager: Brendan Rodgers 6.
LEEDS (4-1-4-1): Meslier 7.5; Ayling 7, Struijk 7, Cooper 7, Alioski 6.5; Phillips 7; Raphinha 7 (Costa 80), Dallas 8, Rodrigo 6 (Klich 21, 7), Harrison 7; BAMFORD 8.5. Subs not used: Casilla, Poveda, Roberts, Hernandez, Davis, Cresswell, Shackleton. Scorers: Dallas 15, Bamford 70, Harrison 84. Booked: Ayling, Dallas, Klich. Manager: Marcelo Bielsa 7. Referee: Chris Kavanagh 6.