Mahrez breaks his duck to ease strain on Shakespeare
Riyad Mahrez has been a peripheral figure since that infamous deadline-day drama, when he was camped at an airport terminal.
But his first Leicester goal since May will ease the turbulence around the King Power Stadium and provided a timely response after he was dropped by manager Craig Shakespeare.
Mahrez’s equaliser 10 minutes from time spared Shakespeare from further scrutiny after a chastening run of results, with the Algerian winger also atoning for a dreadful miss earlier in the half.
West Brom have still never lost at Leicester’s new ground, after Nacer Chadli gave them the lead with a brilliant free kick, and they achieved a point despite goalkeeper Boaz Myhill playing most of the second period with a dead leg.
Shakespeare remains in the relegation zone and the boos at the final whistle suggested that his honeymoon period is over, after he replaced Claudio Ranieri in February.
“We could do with a win, make no mistake. Once we get that win then hopefully we will climb up the table,” he said.
“I left Riyad out against Bournemouth, gave him a kick up the backside and he was excellent in training. You want the response and the right response.
“We know what we have to do. It is tight down there and one win takes you three or four places up and that is what we aim to do.”
Shakespeare will now be hopeful that Mahrez can create more palatable headlines, following his futile attempt to force a move on deadline day, which he spent at Barcelona’s airport.
Leicester now face what already appears a crucial game at Swansea this weekend with Shakespeare facing the first signs of mutiny from supporters. He could do no wrong as Ranieri’s replacement last season, comfortably securing survival with the cigars out.
This campaign has proven far more unforgiving, with a nightmare fixture list which has yielded defeats against Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
It has led to the first grumbles about Shakespeare’s capabilities from some supporters, with the presence of former manager Nigel Pearson at King Power-owned OH Leuven providing enough fuel for the conspiracy theorists.
Encounters against Tony Pulis and West Brom have always been frustrating experiences and this was a Midlands derby low on entertainment. Jamie Vardy will always be Leicester’s focal point and though he started brilliantly, with West Brom’s Ahmed Hegazi booked after eight minutes, his threat fizzled out.
Hegazi’s caution forced Pulis into a defensive reshuffle, with captain Jonny Evans moved across the centre of defence to mark Vardy, in a bid to quell Leicester’s early pressure and avert being reduced to 10 men. Evans instantly nullified the threat of Vardy on the break. And it was West Brom who created the best chance of a dire opening 25 minutes, with Chadli miscuing a volley from 18 yards.
Myhill was finally forced into meaningful action 10 minutes before half-time, diving to his right to push away Danny Simpson’s shot.
The second half was an improvement, with Mahrez producing an inexplicable miss from seven yards out after Marc Albrighton’s cross. Myhill’s collision with Vardy rendered him barely unable to kick the ball but he opted to stay on, lending slapstick to the proceedings.
The breakthrough finally came in the 63rd minute, with a piece of brilliance totally out of kilter with the game. After Kelechi Iheanacho’s foul on Grzegorz Krychowiak 30 yards out, Chadli took control and bent a wonderful shot in, leaving Kasper Schmeichel flat-footed.
Shakespeare reacted quickly, introducing record signing Islam Slimani and Ben Chilwell, with the substitutes combining to create the equaliser.
Slimani headed Chilwell’s cross back into Mahrez’s path and he chested the ball down to direct his shot into the corner.
Leicester were then dominant, with Myhill tipping over a fierce effort from Harry Maguire, but Albion’s unbeaten run at the King Power remains untarnished.
Pulis said: “There were real opportunities for us. We need to get results because, outside the top six, this league is so tough.”