The questions kept arriving as quickly as the ferocious tackles. What was Alex Iwobi thinking with that pass? How did Dominic Calvert-Lewin miss that chance? Would Seamus Coleman be ok? Through it all, though, one lingered above all: why did James Maddison take that penalty?
Maddison had not taken on the responsibility of a spot kick since December 29, 2018. He fluffed that, against Cardiff, in a 1-0 defeat. Not exactly the CV of someone who would put money in a high-pressure situation but, nonetheless, Dean Smith was adamant he was up for the job.
With Kelechi Ihenacho injured, Maddison grabbed hold of the ball after Michael Keane had handled in first half injury time. He lacks nothing for confidence, Leicester’s number 10, but nor does Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who had a crib sheet on his water bottle.
It showed that Maddison was 60 per cent likely to put his kick down the middle – how the data analysts got that number off such a short body of work is anyone’s guess – and Pickford stood tall, beating a feeble shot away.
A seismic moment in the match, for sure. Leicester, leading 2-1 at the time, would have been long odds-on to see the contest out with a two-goal buffer and it could turn out to be a seismic moment in the season, too. A point separates the two sides today – without Pickford it would have been four.
Leicester and Everton played out a pulsating encounter at the King Power on Monday night
The two sides drew 2-2 – both having led at one stage – in a result that helps neither side
The game got off to a brilliant start for the visiting side as Dominic Calvert-Lewin put them ahead
‘We can’t change what has happened,’ was Dean Smith’s phlegmatic response. ‘There is still 12 points to play for – I never thought this game would take us clear of relegation. We’ll keep fighting and I’m sure we will play better.’
They will need to, as will Everton. But, equally, there was enough heart and courage on the pitch to suggest they might just both be able to keep their heads above water. While the quality wasn’t always what it should be, the level of competition took your breath away.
Whatever work Sean Dyche had done over the weekend, after their shellacking by Newcastle, clearly worked. Everton came out swinging and hemmed Leicester into their penalty area with a succession of a balls crashed forward from Jordan Pickford, demanding the forward players to chase and fight.
It’s no exaggeration to say Leicester looked petrified by the frenzy, unable to cope with the physicality of it all, as corners and crosses were fired in. For all the criticism they have received, Everton had to be praised for what might have been their best start to a game all season.
England international Calvert-Lewin wheeled away in delight after scoring only his second Premier League goal of the season
Leicester swiftly struck back and were soon level through centre-back Caglar Soyuncu
Soyuncu produced an inventive finish to steer the ball beyond a helpless Jordan Pickford
Jamie Vardy gave Leicester the lead – scoring for a second consecutive game and perhaps dragging his side from the mire
Vardy – who geed up the crowd at every opportunity – revelled in his role as he made it 2-1
Alex Iwobi grabbed a deserved equaliser for Everton but they failed to find a winner
Really, they should have been ahead after eight minutes. Iwobi, dashing down the right, found himself unmarked 12 yards out but he gave Daniel Iversen the opportunity to make a superb save, rather than putting his foot through it and ripping a shot into the net.
Such was the weight of pressure building, though, you knew another opportunity would not be long in coming and so it proved. In the 14th minute, Coleman clipped a cross and Timothy Castagne short-circuited, blundering into Calvert-Lewin like someone falling out of their local at closing time.
He tried to look shocked Michael Oliver had pointed to the spot but who was he kidding? It was the most obvious penalty you could wish to see and Calvert-Lewin stepped up to convert, scoring for the first time since last October. There were 3,000 in the away end but they made the noise of 43000.
With their tails up, it felt like Everton could take control of matters. A level of the nervousness in the Leicester ranks was best illustrated when Caglar Soyuncu, under no pressure whatsoever, put a pass straight out of play. All Everton had to do, you felt, was stay calm.
But it was beyond them. From being in a position they wanted after 20 minutes, they found themselves trailing by the 35th minute. You will have heard this many times before this season but, exasperatingly, they had only themselves to blame.
Soyuncu levelled with Leicester’s first meaningful sight of the target, turning in from eight yards after Maddison’s free-kick had reached Harvey Barnes and was sent back to him via a flick from Wout Faes, one of the few times the Belgian played as if his legs hadn’t been tied together.
Dyche could barely believe what he was seeing but worse was to follow: under no pressure, Iwobi gave the ball straight to Youri Tielemans, who cushioned a pass to Maddison and he sent Vardy streaking clear, the veteran rounding Pickford to score his 136th Premier League goal.
What an impact he continues to have and number 137 should have arrived just before half-time when, in a dramatic period of play that saw Calvert-Lewin miss from a yard, a Leicester counter ended with Vardy clipping a shot over Pickford but onto the bar.
James Maddison may come to rue his penalty miss as he went straight down the middle – with Jordan Pickford staying equal to it
Goalkeeper Daniel Iversen produced a series of stunning stops to deny Everton late on after Iwobi’s leveller
The most crucial miss would come from Maddison, who lost his battle of nerve with Pickford. Everton’s character has been called into question often this season but they refused to buckle when it would have been easy too, particularly after what happened to Coleman.
He was caught by Boubakary Soumare, his leg bowing with the contact and medics rushing to help him. Dyche confirmed it was a knee injury that “didn’t look good” but, despite being in pain, Everton’s club captain still urged the fans to support the team as he was stretchered off.
They did that, relentlessly and noisily, in the second period and saw Iwobi make up for his error with the equaliser, converting a Calvert-Lewin flick on. From there, both could have won it, both could have lost it but a point had to do.
It might not seem that way not but it could be absolutely crucial. This relegation riddle will soon be solved.
