Leicester 3 Everton 1
Report by James Bandy (making his reporting debut for this site)
So it was real after all. The thing that Leicester fans had dreamed for months but daren’t speak of, finally became a reality. After 132 years, the club had won its first ever top-flight title, and they celebrated lifting the trophy with an emphatic 3-1 win over Everton at a packed King Power Stadium.
After being confirmed champions following Tottenham's 2-2 draw with Chelsea five days earlier, the celebrations had been in full flow for players and fans alike. After the exertions of this season, you could almost have forgiven the players being off the pace. After all, just two years ago, promotion to the Premier League had been followed by a 4-1 defeat at home to Brighton, but that never looked like happening against an Everton side that looked short on confidence and spirit.
Instead, The Foxes produced a performance befitting of champions, full of the pace, energy and incisive counter-attacking football that has enthralled fans and neutrals alike and carried them to this unlikeliest of titles.
Leicester made four changes from the team that started against Manchester United the previous week. Jamie Vardy returned from his two-match suspension in place of Leonardo Ulloa and Marc Albrighton replaced Jeff Schlupp, while King and Wasilewski came in for the suspended Drinkwater and Huth.
There was a superb atmosphere around the city and stadium before the game, and the noise inside the King Power was deafening as Everton gave the champions a guard of honour on their entrance from the tunnel. It wasn’t long before the home fans were on their feet again, as Vardy marked his return in style.
Mahrez’s quick throw-in found King in space on the right flank, and the Wales midfielder clipped an exquisite ball into the centre for Vardy, who ghosted in between Bryan Oviedo and John Stones to deftly guide the ball into the far corner.
Leicester were in control against an Everton side without a win in their last four away matches, and could have doubled their lead when King headed into Joel's hands from close range after a fine Mahrez cross.
Wes Morgan then danced through the visitors’ defence before striding into the penalty area and, perhaps realising how ridiculous it all was, tried to find a team-mate when he probably would have been better off shooting. It was exhibition stuff, and the fans couldn’t get enough.
On 33 minutes, Leicester made it 2-0. Mahrez raced into the penalty area and with a double stepover, took two Everton defenders out. Baines managed to get a foot to the ball, but only helped it into the path of the onrushing King, who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net.
After the break, Kasper Schmeichel denied Oumar Niasse with an unorthodox header on the edge of the penalty area before stopping a Lukaku backheel. The Belgium striker was again denied by the Leicester goalkeeper, before Robles had to be alert to deny Fuchs his first goal of the season after being released by Mahrez.
Robles was soon beaten, though, as Pennington brought down Vardy with a clumsy challenge. The Everton defender was lucky not to see red, having been given a yellow in the first half for hauling down Mahrez in full flight. Vardy made no mistake from the spot, drilling his spot kick hard to the keeper’s right for his 24th goal of the season.
The England striker had a chance to score his 25th seven minutes later. Darron Gibson upended Jeffrey Schlupp as he raced into the area, but with the chance to complete his first hat-trick in professional football and bring him level at the top of the Premier League scoring charts with Harry Kane, Vardy got his effort all wrong, blazing the ball high over Robles' crossbar.
Leonardo Ulloa and King flicked headers wide towards the end, with Oviedo denying Vardy the hat-trick he craved, before Mirallas grabbed a late consolation which was far better than the overall Toffees performance. Marcin Wasilewski was twice beaten by a tidy Kevin Mirallas sidestep, with the Belgium international cutting inside Kante to score.
The strike visibly annoyed Schmeichel and his defensive colleagues, who wanted a clean sheet, but it epitomised their professionalism – and possibly the fact the Denmark No.1 had one eye on the Golden Glove award after keeping 15 clean sheets so far this season.
But the disappointment was short-lived, as the final whistle blew and Morgan lifted the Premier League trophy amid incredible scenes inside the stadium. It capped what is without doubt the greatest day in the club's 132-year history. The players have achieved immortality, and it’s humbling that us fans can say we were alive to witness it. Just don’t make us wait another 132 years for the next one, eh?
Leicester: Schmeichel; Simpson, Wasilewski, Morgan, Fuchs; Mahrez, King, Kante, Albrighton; Okazaki, Vardy. Subs: Ulloa, (62, for Okazaki), Schlupp (67, for Albrighton), Gray (91, for Mahrez), Amartey, Chilwell, Schwarzer, Inler.
Everton: Robles; Oviedo, Pennington, Stones, Baines; Lennon, Barkley, McCarthy, Cleverley; Niasse, Lukaku. Subs: Mirallas (63, for Niasse), Gibson, (63, for Cleverley), Osman (81, for Barkley), Besic, Howard, Connolly, Dowell.
Referee: Andre Marriner Attendance: 32,140.
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation