CARLOS KO BLOW
Alcaraz floors rivals before hitting the deck
CARLOS ALCARAZ lifted Southampton off the bottom off the table – and must have felt the pain was worth all the glory.
The young Argentinian was so excited with his priceless first-half strike, he overstretched in celebrating and had to go off.
Also stretched was Brendan Rodgers’ patience, particularly with striker Kelechi Iheanacho who missed three comfortable chances to score.
That might not have mattered so much for the Foxes if Harry Souttar had scored deep into stoppage time but the big Aussie’s header struck the bar.
Rodgers had spoken earlier in the week about his club being in a “new cycle” but many more defeats like this and fans will be demanding it is him who is on his bike.
Both clubs had suffered embarrassing midweek home FA Cup exits to lower league opponents, which either showed a laser-like focus on Premier League survival, or a disregard for the old trophy and the desires of their fans. Southampton might have gone ahead early on when Ainsley Maitland-Niles skinned Wout Faes but Theo Walcott’s shot was blocked.
That was the cue for Leicester to remember they are far better at pushing than they are at restraining.
James Maddison then curled a pacey free-kick on to the head of Iheanacho, but the striker somehow put it wide.
He must have felt doubly sick just past the half hour mark when the Foxes conceded a penalty. Timothy Castagne’s high arm charge down of Walcott’s cross left referee Robert Jones little option but to award the kick.
James Ward-Prowse’s low effort was then brilliantly turned away by Danny Ward.
The Wales goalkeeper might have expected more than a pat on the back from his team-mates – like, not leaving him completely exposed on 35 minutes as Southampton took the lead.
Two passes w-as all it took for the Foxes to fold and although it needed a VAR check to show Che Adams was onside, before he provided the assist, there was no doubting the cool quality of the finish by Alcaraz.
As Ward came out, the young Argentinian fired across him and into the far corner.
A terrible mix-up in the Saints defence then gave Iheanacho a great opportunity late on, but with only goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu to beat, he fired wastefully over the bar.
SOUTHAMPTON: Bazunu 6: Maitland-Niles 7, Bednarek 7, Bella-Kotchap 8, Walker-Peters 6; Alcaraz 7 (Elyounoussi (49) 6), Ward-Prowse 6, Lavia 6, Sulemana 7 (S Armstrong (80) 6); Adams 7 (Mara (63) 6), Walcott 6 (A Armstrong (63) 6)
LEICESTER: Ward 7; Pereira 6, Souttar 6, Faes 6, Castagne 6; Dewsbury-Hall 6, Mendy 6 (Ndidi (69) 6); Tete 5 (Vardy (69) 5), Maddison 7, Barnes 6 (Praet (46) 7); Iheanacho 5
STAR MAN: Armel Bella-Kotchap – Big Bella was the man with a boot here and a head there to always clear his lines.
REF: Robert Jones 7