Everton took a huge step towards safety as they beat Leicester City 2-1 at the King Power Stadium to climb up to the 16th spot in the Premier League table.
Every Premier League match for Everton is like a cup final with relegation looming large. But the recent upturn in form has seen them climb out of the relegation zone and the recent 3-1 win over Leicester City has pushed them further away from danger.
Vitaliy Mykolenko opened the scoring for Frank Lampard’s men in the sixth minute but Patson Daka equalised for the home side just five minutes later. An injury to Yerry Mina pegged the Toffees back in the 18th minute with Michael Keane taking his place.
Despite Leicester’s dominance of proceedings, Everton took the lead in the 30th minute with Mason Holgate scoring. The Foxes were the best side throughout the match but they failed to score another despite having a total of nine shots on target.
Brendan Rodgers’ men would rue the missed opportunities and the chance to break into the top half of the table. Everton, on the other hand, are now well placed with 35 points from 34 matches, a point more than 18th-placed Leeds with a match in hand. Here’s how players from both sides fared in the encounter.
Leicester City
Peter Schmeichel: 5/10
The Leicester shot-stopper couldn’t do much to stop Everton from scoring twice and going away with all three points. He made two saves on the day but it was not enough to lead his team to a win.
Daniel Amartey: 6/10
Daniel Amartey wasn’t as impressive defensively as he was going forward. He completed 95% of his passes, including all four of his long balls. He also took a shot and did his part in containing Richarlison for most of the game.
Wesley Fofana: 7/10
Fofana probably didn’t deserve to lose this match. With Leicester dominating possession, the centre-back played further up the pitch and saw a lot of the ball. He completed 92% of his 113 attempted passes and played two key passes as well. On top of the attacking work, he made two clearances, two interceptions and three tackles as well.
Wesley Fofana (21)????#LEIEVE
⏱️90
?️0.05 xA
?104(92.0%) Accurate Passes
?2 Key Passes
?122 Touches
?2/3 Long Balls
?3/4 Ground Duels
✈️4/4 Aerials
?2/3 Tackles Won
?0x Dribbled Past
?2 Clearances
?2 Interceptions
?4 Recoveries
❗1 Foul?
⚠️9x PossLost
?0x Dispossessed pic.twitter.com/B5WumsnAcb— Football Report ?☮️???????? #BerhalterOut (@FootballReprt) May 8, 2022
Jonny Evans: 7/10
Evans was solid on his side of the defence, making a clearance, an interception, blocking a shot and completing three tackles. He wasn’t at fault for either of the goals that Everton scored.
Timothy Castagne: 6/10
The right wing-back was much more involved in the attack than in the defence. He could have done better to stop Holgate from scoring. In all, Castagne played three key passes and created one big chance, and also sent in nine crosses on top of that.
Nampalys Mendy: 5/10
Mendy struggled in the centre of the park for Leicester and couldn’t shield his defence well enough. Mendy was taken off for Jamie Vardy in the 66th minute as the Foxes searched for an equaliser.
Youri Tielemans: 5/10
Tielemans was below par as per his standards and was anonymous for parts of the match. He misplaced a lot of passes as well and will want to buckle up as the Foxes try to finish in the top half of the Premier League table.
Ayoze Perez: 4/10
Perez was taken off for Harvey Barnes at half-time after a pretty average first 45 minutes. He played just one key pass and failed to take a single shot on goal.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: 6/10
Dewsbury-Hall wasn’t his usual self and gave a much better performance after Rodgers changed the system at half-time to get back into the match. He won seven of eight ground duels and completed both his dribbles. However, he lost possession on 23 occasions, which is quite a lot.
Iheanacho and Daka have been industrious in attack, while a Dewsbury-Hall effort passes just the wrong side of the post, as City target a second equaliser.#LeiEve pic.twitter.com/KP6Y80FTaS
— Leicester City (@LCFC) May 8, 2022
Kelechi Iheanacho: 6/10
Iheanacho took two shots in the match while playing two key passes and creating one big chance. But there was no way through for the Nigerian and Leicester City.
Patson Daka: 7/10
Daka did well to equalize for Leicester City after Everton had taken the lead early on in the encounter. He took two more shots and missed a big chance as well. He played two key passes but completed just 70% of his passes.
Patson Daka has been directly involved in 15 goals in his debut season at Leicester (11⚽️ 4?️).
Setback for Everton. ?? pic.twitter.com/E9MNblhKMQ
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) May 8, 2022
Substitutes
Harvey Barnes: 6/10
Barnes provided some much-needed attacking impetus to Leicester but the Foxes couldn’t get on the scoresheet during his time on the field.
Jamie Vardy: 5/10
Vardy came on for Mendy but made just six touches of the ball and took one shot.
Ademola Lookman: N/A
Lookman came on in the 80th minute for Daka but didn’t do enough to warrant a rating.
Everton
Jordan Pickford: 8/10
Jordan Pickford is something very ???????.?
Single handedly secured us those 3 points.?
ＥＮＧＬＡＮＤ＇Ｓ ＮＯ． １ ??????? pic.twitter.com/7U9AJHpHeQ
— The-Toffees (@thetoffees_com) May 8, 2022
Pickford kept Everton in the game, making as many as seven saves. His effort played a huge role in ensuring that the Toffees walk away with all three points from the King Power Stadium.
Alex Iwobi: 7/10
Playing as a right wing-back, Iwobi had an above par outing. He assisted Mykolenko’s opener and also made two clearances, two interceptions and completed two tackles. He attempted as many as 11 long balls, completing five of them.
Seamus Coleman: 5/10
The Everton defender had a quiet game, making three clearances and winning all of his ground duels. But he was partly at fault for Leicester’s equaliser. He completed all three of his dribbles as well but was forced to defend for most of the match.
Yerry Mina: 4/10
Mina had to be forced off in the 18th minute but not before a mix-up with Coleman that led to the Foxes’ equaliser.
Mason Holgate: 7/10
Holgate scored the goal that helped Everton take the lead in the encounter and improved as the match went on. He made three clearances and one interception and was strong aerially, winning two duels.
Vitaliy Mykolenko: 7/10
Vitalii Mykolenko. Magic. ? pic.twitter.com/D7osCDLjOW
— Everton (@Everton) May 8, 2022
Mykolenko scored the opener for Everton with a well-taken volley. Defensively, he made two clearances, two interceptions and a tackle.
Anthony Gordon: 6/10
Anthony Gordon was decent out wide for Everton, playing in two crosses, two key passes and completing the only long ball he attempted.
Abdoulaye Doucoure: 6/10
Doucoure shielded his defence well, making five tackles, two clearances and an interception. He wasn’t dribbled past even once and won five of nine ground duels. He hit the woodwork once as well.
94.9% pass completion from Fabian Delph today.
Kept us ticking in midfield allowing Abdoulaye Doucoure to do the dirty work. Doucoure managed 5 tackles in midfield, more than any other player on the pitch.
— Tactically Matt (@TacticallyMatt) May 8, 2022
Fabian Delph: 7/10
Delph popped up everywhere and looked assured in the centre of the pitch. He completed 95% of his passes, which include a key pass as well. He completed both of the dribbles that he attempted as well.
Demarai Gray: 6/10
Gray was quite busy too and was effective going forward. He played two key passes and also created two big chances. He took a shot and completed three of his four dribble attempts.
Richarlison: 6/10
Richarlison was his usual busy self, taking three shots but missing one big opportunity. He was quite wasteful with his passing and there was no end product to show for in the final third.
Substitutes
Michael Keane: 6/10
Keane came on for Mina in the 18th minute and was quite solid making seven clearances, an interception and two tackles.
Jonjoe Kenny: 5/10
Kenny came on for Mykolenko in the 66th minute but didn’t do much of note except make one clearance.
Salomon Rondon: N/A
Rondon came on for Gray in the 74th minute but made just eight touches of the ball.
