Leicester City’s search for their first Premier League victory of the season continued, as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw against expected relegation rivals Everton at the King Power Stadium.
It was a scrappy affair under torrential conditions, but Leicester will be somewhat relieved to have fought back and avoided defeat after an uninspiring hour where they were outplayed by the bottom-of-the-table Toffees.
Iliman Ndiaye gave Everton the lead early in the match, capitalising on Leicester’s defensive fragility and making the most of the visitors’ early dominance.
For much of the first half, City struggled to gain a foothold in the game, with Everton looking sharper, hungrier, and more capable of creating chances.
However, as the rain subsided, Leicester found a way back into the game through Stephy Mavididi, who scrambled in an equaliser from close range after a set-piece opportunity.
Despite being on top for the remainder of the contest, Leicester’s lack of creativity in the final third meant they were unable to fashion any clear chances for a winner. In the end, both sides had to settle for a point in a match that, while crucial for confidence, was low on quality.
Early Struggles
Leicester manager Steve Cooper made only one change to the side that was minutes away from a win at Crystal Palace the previous weekend, bringing in Bilal El Khannouss for his full debut.
Wilfred Ndidi dropped into defensive midfield, while Oliver Skipp made way. However, Everton, who arrived at the King Power Stadium without an away win since last December, were the brighter side from the start.
The Toffees quickly carved out their first opportunity, with Jesper Lindstrom volleying wide after some slack defending from Leicester.
The warning signs were there, and it didn’t take long for Everton to make their dominance count. James Justin struggled to cope with the movement and pace of Ndiaye, and the summer signing exploited this frailty to perfection.
After receiving a sharp pass from Ashley Young, Ndiaye jinked inside and struck a low shot from 18 yards that beat Mads Hermansen at his right-hand post.
It was a well-taken goal, but questions were asked about Leicester’s defending, particularly Justin’s inability to close down his man.
Leicester Struggle to Respond
While Everton looked threatening, Leicester struggled to get a foothold in the game. The midfield was sluggish, and passes were frequently misplaced, leaving the home crowd frustrated.
The intense thunderstorm that followed only added to the difficulty of producing any fluid football. Lightning flashed overhead, thunder rumbled through the stands, and the downpour forced many fans to seek cover, contributing to an already disjointed match.
Leicester’s only real chance of the first half came courtesy of Mavididi. His scuffed cross-cum-shot was parried onto the post by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, but it summed up Leicester’s lack of composure and quality in the final third.
As the rain poured down, Everton continued to look the more likely to score, with Lindstrom and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both spurning chances to double the visitors’ lead.
Second-Half Revival
The storm eased after the break, but Leicester’s performance initially remained as damp as the conditions.
Everton, buoyed by their strong first-half display, continued to create chances, and only a crucial intervention from James Justin, combined with a smart save by Hermansen, kept the scoreline at 1-0. It felt as though Everton were edging closer to securing a rare away victory.
However, as has been the case on several occasions this season, Leicester’s set-piece play proved to be a lifeline.
A well-worked corner routine saw Mavididi set up Caleb Okoli, who had a golden opportunity to level the score. The Italian centre-back, who had been solid in defence, headed over the bar from six yards out when it seemed easier to score.
But Leicester didn’t have to wait much longer for their equaliser. From the very next corner, Okoli and Ndidi caused chaos in the Everton box, and the ball dropped kindly for Mavididi, who swivelled and scrambled a shot towards goal.
Dwight McNeil attempted to clear off the line, but the ball had already crossed, much to the relief of the Leicester faithful.
Final Push for a Winner
With 20 minutes still to play, Leicester sensed that they could push for a winner. Cooper introduced Odsonne Edouard for his debut, hoping the Frenchman could provide the cutting edge needed to claim all three points.
However, while Leicester had the lion’s share of possession and territory in the final stages, their lack of creativity was glaring. Passes went astray, crosses were poorly delivered, and Everton were able to repel any real threat with relative ease.
By the final whistle, both sides were forced to accept a point apiece. For Everton, it will feel like two points dropped after leading for so long and creating the better chances.
Leicester, meanwhile, will be frustrated not to have claimed their first win of the season but can take solace in their fighting spirit to come from behind and salvage something from the game.
Player Ratings
Mads Hermansen – Made two important saves to deny Lindstrom and Calvert-Lewin. He was beaten at his near post by Ndiaye’s goal, which he may feel he could have done better with. His distribution was slow at times. 6/10
James Justin
Endured a torrid afternoon against the pace and movement of Ndiaye, which led to the opening goal. He did, however, make a crucial goal-saving intervention in the second half. 5/10
Wout Faes – A typically inconsistent display from the Belgian. Made some strong tackles and blocks, but also had moments of poor concentration, particularly in the rain, which could have been costly. 6/10
Caleb Okoli
A solid defensive performance, keeping Calvert-Lewin quiet for much of the game. He was a constant threat from set-pieces, though he should have scored with a free header before Mavididi’s equaliser. 7/10
Victor Kristiansen – Struggled to contain Lindstrom, especially in the first half, and was left exposed at times. On the ball, he was decent when combining with Mavididi but made a few errors with his clearances. 5/10
Wilfred Ndidi – Returned to a more defensive midfield role and was largely effective in breaking up play. He was a disruptive presence at set-pieces, helping to unsettle Everton’s defence for Mavididi’s goal. 6/10
Harry Winks: In the first half, Winks attempted to steady the tempo and maintain control of the game, but it seemed like no one was on the same page as him. He found more success after the break, driving forward with the ball and creating momentum. 6/10
Jordan Ayew: Ayew was one of the few showing calmness under pressure, using his chest to bring the ball down and keep attacks going. As usual, he won important free-kicks. However, fatigue clearly set in during the final 30 minutes, and he probably should have been substituted earlier. 6/10
Bilal El Khannouss:
The hype around El Khannouss may have worked against him on his full debut. The £20m signing constantly looked for forward passes, threading a few good ones, but he often tried too much too soon. His ambitious passing caught his teammates off guard, and he struggled physically at times. 5/10
Stephy Mavididi:
Mavididi was guilty of overcomplicating things in the first half, frequently adding unnecessary stepovers when he had already created space. In the second half, though, he was outstanding. His clever misdirection set up Okoli’s big chance, he showed alertness to finish for the equaliser, and consistently got the better of his full-back. 8/10
Jamie Vardy: Unfortunately, Vardy was largely anonymous throughout the game. After taking a knock to his ankle early on, he struggled to impose himself and offered little in terms of threat. 4/10
Facundo Buonanotte: Dropped deep to try and influence the game and showed some bite, constantly snapping at Everton’s heels. However, he had limited impact in attack aside from a few crossfield passes and a blocked shot. 5/10
Odsonne Edouard: Had a chance to create a promising attack but overran the ball with teammates in support. However, he did show a flash of quality with a clever flick to set up Buonanotte’s effort. Got on the ball more than Vardy but didn’t significantly impact the game. 5/10
Abdul Fatawu: Came on late and didn’t have enough time to make a difference. N/A