Leeds United’s classic goals at Leicester City
Take a look at some classic Leeds United goals at Leicester City, featuring Alan Smith, Carlton Palmer and Tony Yeboah.
Englishman Harvey Barnes scored the only goal as Leicester City got the better of Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United at the King Power Stadium.
This was Leeds’ first game since Marcelo Bielsa‘s departure. Kasper Schmeichel had to be at his best to keep out the visitors. Barnes scored against the run of play in the 67th minute as Leicester picked up all three points.
Schmeichel got down to tip away after Dan James had got in behind Leicester’s backline and drilled across goal, while the hosts’ goalkeeper saved with his legs to deny Jack Harrison following another lightning Leeds break.
Harrison’s teasing low ball along the six-yard line might have caused alarm but no one was able to meet it as Leeds continued to threaten, with Leicester largely innocuous at the other end against a team who leaked 20 goals in February.
While clear-cut chances were at a premium, there was a minor stir when Rodrigo got to the ball before being clipped by Caglar Soyuncu, but play resumed after a brief check, while the Turkish defender was thrust into action again with critical blocks to deny Junior Firpo and, from the resulting corner, Raphinha.
Leeds’ shortcomings from set-pieces have been well-publicised and they were almost exposed from a corner, but an unchecked Wilfred Ndidi headed straight at Illan Meslier on the stroke of half-time.
Leicester, though, were slow out of the blocks upon the resumption and found themselves constantly pressed into defensive action, with a couple of important obstructions and the enduring class of Schmeichel keeping the score goalless against his former club.
Brendan Rodgers recognised a change was needed and he hooked Jamie Vardy, who only briefly bristled on his first start of the year following his recovery from a hamstring injury, and Hamza Choudhury, repeatedly exposed down Leicester’s right, in favour of Kelechi Iheanacho and Ademola Lookman just after the hour.
The changes paid almost instant dividends as Iheanacho teed up Barnes to give Leicester the lead against the run of play. After a give-and-go with Iheanacho on the left, Barnes opened up his body and slotted across Meslier, whose fingertips were not enough to stop the ball sliding into the net.
It was Barnes’ fourth Premier League goal in as many games against the Whites, who were unable to muster anything in the final quarter of the match. Meslier denied Youri Tielemans late on to keep the deficit to just one goal, but it was Leicester’s day.
Barnes (67′)
