Norwich 0 Leicester 2
Post Match Analysis by Colin Hall
Leicester City’s 2-0 victory at Norwich, moving the Foxes to within a point of Championship pacemakers Preston, was as impressive as any achieved under Enzo Maresca to date.
On a night when City had to battle against fierce storms, both from the skies and from physically robust hosts, Maresca’s men produced a performance and result that sent a powerful message to promotion rivals.
With games coming thick and fast during the weeks ahead, the City boss rotated his squad, making five changes to the starting line-up from the side that had won so comfortably at Southampton.
So it came as little surprise that the visitors made a hesitant start, with Mads Hermansen called into action in the opening minutes to turn away a fierce drive from home full-back Stacey.
However, this proved to be the only serious alarm for the Danish keeper during a largely attritional first half which saw few clear chances being created by either side. The competitive nature of the contest was illustrated by the spate of bookings towards the end of the half.
The Foxes stepped up the pace as the break approached, with Wout Faes – one of those recalled to the side – forcing a save from home keeper Gunn.
Minutes later Stephy Mavididi, hitherto largely anonymous, drew a foul from Fassnacht and Kelechi Iheanacho made no mistake from the spot to give the visitors the lead.
Moments after the restart, Iheanacho sent Mavididi clear on the left, but the winger dragged his effort wide when he should really have hit the target.
The home side pressed hard for a leveller after the interval, but struggled to break down a resolute Leicester defence, in which Faes and a much-rejuvenated Jannik Vestergaard were particularly prominent. Maresca’s use of midfield reinforcements, introducing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wilfred Ndidi, had little impact on the general pattern of play.
In the 72nd minute it looked as if the Canaries had made the breakthrough when Duffy met a Hernandez cross to send a powerful header goalwards. However Hermansen somehow managed to block his effort and see the rebound scrambled wide.
The keeper then came perilously close to undoing his heroics, when he mishit a pass straight into the path of home midfielder McLean. To the relief of Hermansen and the Blue Army, though. the shot struck the Foxes’ crossbar and bounced clear.
As the hosts wilted visibly in the closing stages, Leicester squandered several chances to make the game safe, with sub Jamie Vardy miskicking when sent clear and Kasey McAteer heading an Abdul Fatawu cross over an empty net.
But the young midfielder made amends three minutes from time, finishing off a fine move involving Vardy and Dewsbury-Hall to net his fourth league goal of the campaign and finally seal the destiny of the game.. Could he play the role of goal machine to propel us to promotion?
The visitors saw out the nine minutes of stoppage time in relative comfort and the final whistle was greeted rapturously by the visiting hordes, who had been in excellent voice throughout the game.
Although the Foxes were far from fluent for long spells of this game, they were nevertheless good value for their SIXTH successive win on the road in all competitions. One particularly encouraging aspect of displays under Maresca is that the squad are gradually beginning to rid themselves of the fear that so often blighted them under previous managerial regimes.
It is to be hoped that this process – and the current run of form – can be maintained in the weeks and months ahead.
Norwich (4-2-3-1): Gunn: Stacey, Duffy, (Forshaw 90 + 8), Gibson, Giannoulis; Sara, McLean; Fassnacht (Hernandez 68), Gibbs (Hwang 68), Rowe (Placheta ht); Barnes (Idah 54). Subs not used: Long, McCallum, Batth, Springett
Bookings: Duffy, Gibson, Barnes.
Leicester (4-1-4-1): Hermansen; Choudhury (Justin 78), Faes, Vestergaard, Doyle; Winks; McAteer, Akgün (Ndidi 57), Casadei (Dewsbury- Hall 57), Mavadidi (Fatawu 78); Iheanacho (Vardy 68). Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Ricardo, Coady, Daka.
Goals: Iheanacho (45 – pen), McAteer (87)
Bookings: McAteer, Vardy, Winks, Vestergaard.
Referee: Graham Scott Attendance: 26 277
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.