Vardy spot-on after madness of Maddison
JAMES MADDISON hit the turf, heard the peep of the referee’s whistle and immediately rubbed his hands over his face and looked down to the ground. He knew the impending punishment and he knew it was utterly deserved.
In the space of 124 seconds, Leicester’s young playmaker brought an end to his own afternoon and, in doing so, created all manner of problems for his team. With Leicester already trailing to an early Glenn Murray goal, Maddison’s two thoughtless acts saw Claude Puel’s side reduced to 10 men with 28 minutes on the clock.
Maddison is a bright and prodigiously gifted 22-year-old, who has broken into the Premier League and England’s international set-up in recent months after a £22m summer move from Norwich, but this display of petulance and deceit is a backwards step. His first yellow card came after an unnecessary slash at the ankles of Anthony Knockaert and if that first booking represented naivety, Maddison’s coup de grace can only be described as sheer recklessness.
After masterfully bringing the ball down inside the Brighton penalty box, he sought to weave inside Shane Duffy, who dangled a leg but made no contact with Maddison.
Yet the Leicester player launched himself to the ground and his game was up. It was a clear dive and referee Chris Kavanagh sent him off. Manager Claude Puel suggested Maddison had apologised in the dressing room, before adding: ‘It put the team in difficulties. I need to see the replays. Then I will discuss it with Maddy. We have to manage better our attitude.’
For Leicester, it summed up a miserable opening period pockmarked by stray passes and lax marking. They fell behind after 15 minutes to the simplest of goals, as Knockaert’s whipped corner was glanced in by Murray for a seventh goal of an already prolific season.
Claude Puel is not a man known for outwards displays of expression but he shook his head, flapped his hands and admonished his players at every turn. He was furious when Demarai Gray failed to compete for a loose ball and grew increasingly frustrated by every misplaced pass.
‘It was not just about the sending off,’ Puel said. ‘It was the desire to play forward and play with the intensity. In the second half we had that.’
Puel’s side might have conceded before Murray’s opener, as sloppy passing between Jonny Evans and Vicente Iborra allowed Beram Kayal to run through on goal, where he was denied by a fine Kasper Schmeichel save.
Fleetingly, it appeared Brighton might hammer home their advantage against a Leicester side depleted by the red card, Harry Maguire’s absence and Jamie Vardy only being fit enough to start from the bench.
Jose Izquierdo dazzled from the left and his low cross narrowly eluded Murray. Yet Brighton rarely run riot and their inhibition invited Leicester back into the contest. Seagulls manager Chris Hughton said: ‘Apart from the goal, we’ve gone through a 90-minute period without having that clear-cut chance. It’s like two points lost.’
Leicester’s Ben Chilwell, excellent once more down the left-flank, provided width and a constant threat but Puel also influenced the contest by bringing on Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Vardy.
Leicester’s spirit and togetherness returned. The pressure increased and after Kayal superbly blocked Wes Morgan’s goalbound effort, the Israeli desperately slid in on Iheanacho, catching his shin and conceding a penalty. Vardy stepped up and rammed in the equaliser. Brighton (4-4-1-1): Ryan 6; Bruno 6, Duffy 6, Dunk 6.5, Bernardo 6.5; Knockaert 6 (March 73min, 6), Propper 6, Kayal 6.5, Izquierdo 6.5; Gross 5.5 (Andone 82); Murray 7. Booked: Izquierdo, Bruno, Duffy. Subs (not used): Steele, Bong, Bissouma, Locadia, Balogun. LeiceSter (4-3-3): Schmeichel 6; Pereira 6.5, Morgan 6, Evans 6.5, Chilwell 7; Iborra 4.5 (Ndidi 32, 6), Mendy 6, Maddison 3; Albrighton 6, Okazaki 5 (Iheanacho 70, 7), Gray 5 (Vardy 56, 7). Subs (not used): Ward, Simpson, Soyuncu, Fuchs. Booked: Maddison, Ndidi. Sent off: Maddison (28min). referee: C Kavanagh 7.