Leicester City 1 Everton 2: Sigurdsson stunner gives Silva first away win

Everton won away from Goodison Park for the first time this season as it defeated Leicester City courtesy of in-form Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Published : Oct 06, 2018 23:31 IST

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored his 50th Premier League.
Gylfi Sigurdsson scored his 50th Premier League.
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Gylfi Sigurdsson scored his 50th Premier League.

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored a brilliant late winner to hand Everton a 2-1 victory over 10-man Leicester City, their first away win of the Premier League season.

Richarlison's fourth goal of the campaign in the seventh minute gave Marco Silva's men an ideal start, although Ricardo Pereira's first strike for Leicester five minutes before the break levelled the match.

Everton looked like favourite once again when Leicester captain Wes Morgan received his second red card of the season midway through the second half, and Sigurdsson's stunning 30-yard strike – his 50th in the Premier League - proved decisive with 13 minutes remaining.

Bernard wasted no time to make an impact on his first top-flight start, twisting his way past Pereira and Daniel Amartey and sending in a threatening delivery that compatriot Richarlison volleyed in from six yards, despite Kasper Schmeichel getting a hand on the cross.

Leicester recovered its poise from there and should have equalised, only for Jamie Vardy to fire a poor shot wide when he was sent clean through on goal by Wilfred Ndidi.

But the next Leicester counter-attack did produce an equaliser as Pereira, having been fed by Kelechi Iheanacho down the left, turned Jonjoe Kenny inside out and may have been surprised to see his left-footed effort beat Jordan Pickford at the Everton goalkeeper's near post.

Leicester's chances of victory took a hit in the 63rd minute when Morgan received a second yellow card for a challenge through the back of Richarlison, who he had also hauled down for his first booking just before the break.

And there was nothing Schmeichel could do when Sigurdsson received a pass from Kurt Zouma, beat James Maddison with a Cruyff turn and unleashed a magnificent, dipping strike from into the top-left corner – his fourth goal in as many Premier League games clinching the win.

 

What it means: Toffees starting to click

While it lost to Southampton in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, this is back-to-back league victories for Everton. After convincingly beating Fulham and with the likes of Richarlison, Bernard, Sigurdsson and Theo Walcott looking good in attack, Silva's squad appear well placed as they head into the international break.

Leicester almost salvaged a last-gasp point when Amartey headed just wide at the death, but its boom and bust season continues – it has four wins and as many defeats from eight games and have now lost four times in five top-flight meetings with Everton, the two sides level in the table on 12 points.

Super Sigurdsson making an impact

After his big-money move from Swansea City, Sigurdsson was often criticised last season – but he now has as many goals in eight league games this season as he did in 27 last term. As well as his wondergoal, Sigurdsson had two other shots on target and created four chances for his team-mates.

Bernard's impressive performance in his first Premier League start also suggests he has a key part to play going forward.

Morgan costs Foxes again

Morgan has now been sent off twice in three Premier League outings, after seeing just one red card in his previous 137 top-flight appearances. He also saw red in a costly 4-2 defeat at Bournemouth and is part of a defence which is holding back an impressive squad containing plenty of creative quality further up the pitch.

Key Opta stats

- Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson scored his 50th Premier League goal, the second Icelandic player to reach the milestone in the competition (Eidur Gudjohnsen, 55).
- Richarlison has scored four goals in his six Premier League appearances for Everton this season – just one fewer than he scored in 38 games for Watford last term.
- Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho has been involved in four goals in his last four Premier League games (1 goal, 3 assists).
- Leicester captain Wes Morgan has been sent off in two of his last three Premier League games. He’d only seen red in one of his previous 137 in the competition.

What's next?

After the international break, Everton hosts Crystal Palace on October 21, a game it will see as a good chance to make it three in a row. Leicester, meanwhile, faces a tough trip to Arsenal a day later.

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