Leicester’s manager, Dean Smith, is optimistic that striker Jamie Vardy’s recent resurgence will be instrumental in securing his team’s Premier League survival.
Leicester boss Dean Smith hopes
can fire his side to Premier League safety after the veteran’s recent revival.
Vardy has scored in the last two games to help move the Foxes out of the bottom three having previously gone 19 games without a goal.
Smith, who is on a short-term SOS mission at the King Power Stadium to keep Leicester up, says the 36-year-old is “firing” ahead of the crunch run-in.
“People will have seen in his last few performances the hunger and desire he has got, the work rate, the fact his legs are still there and his brains are definitely still there,” Smith said ahead of Monday’s trip to Fulham.
“We are really pleased that he is back scoring goals for us. He has got his first away goal at Leeds and his first home one on Monday (against Everton), we are really pleased he is in a good place at the moment.
“He knows as well as anyone as a striker with his record he will be judged on goals. He probably hasn’t had the pitch time to earn the goals or chances but he has created a penalty for us against Wolves. He has come on and scored against Leeds and scored a goal on Monday.
“He is in a good vein of form at the moment, which is what we need with only four games to go.
“I don’t think we have had to rebuild his confidence, we have had to play more to his strengths. We know he is an intelligent player with his runs, but he needs the ball to go into the right areas with his runs.
“We have to have a supply line to him and he has to make the runs as well.”
Leicester could have Ricardo Pereira back after a hamstring injury, while there is also good news over Kelechi Iheancho (groin) and Jonny Evans (virus).
“Ricky Pereira has been training with us, he has only been doing part of the session,” Smith said.
“He will be training with us on Saturday and Sunday so that will be a boost to the squad to have him.
“Ricky is due to train with us on Saturday. He part-trained yesterday and if he came through Saturday, I am sure he would put himself forward for selection on Monday.
“Kels has responded to the treatment so won’t be back for Monday, but we may get him back for the last two games which we weren’t hopeful of when he first sustained the injury.
“Jonny is back training. He has trained the last couple of days and trained really well, so it is nice to get that experienced head around.
“Even just to have him on the training ground, there is so much the other lads can pick up from him with his knowledge and his experience. It’s great to have him back.”
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Dean Smith cool following James Maddison’s penalty miss in Leicester draw with Everton
Dean Smith, the manager of Leicester, declined to hold James Maddison accountable for his penalty miss during the frenzied 2-2 match against Everton.
Leicester boss Dean Smith refused to blame James Maddison after his penalty miss in the chaotic 2-2 draw with Everton.
Jordan Pickford saved the forward’s first-half spot-kick, denying the Foxes a 3-1 lead, and Alex Iwobi salvaged a point for the Toffees.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s spot-kick opener was swiftly canceled out by Caglar Soyuncu and Jamie Vardy in a thrilling game.
The draw lifted Leicester out of the drop zone on goal difference, with Everton – who lost Seamus Coleman to a serious-looking knee injury – second bottom and a point from safety with four games left.
Boss Dean Smith said: “James is our top scorer, if he scores no one is asking the question. The goalkeeper stood up which not many do. It happens.
“There were times I felt it was two points lost, there were times I felt it was a point gained.
“In the first half, we were second best for long periods, the game became a bit like basketball and we were counter-attacking at home which is not what we want.
“I was disappointed as we were second best for the first half. There were just so many unforced errors.
“We’ve just played Leeds and Everton and got two points out of it. If we had won one and lost one would that have put us in a better situation because one of our rivals would have had three points?
“We know we will play better, there’s more to come.”
Daniel Iversen thwarted Iwobi early but Calvert-Lewin’s penalty put Everton ahead on 15 minutes after the striker was barged over by Timothy Castagne in the box.
Leicester leveled seven minutes later when Soyuncu steered in from Wout Faes’ knockback.
Just 11 minutes later they turned it around when Maddison sent Vardy clear to round Pickford and score.
Calvert-Lewin then missed a fine chance to level and Vardy hit the bar after a quick break.
Coleman was carried off after a Boubakary Soumare challenge before Pickford’s crucial stop when he stayed to beat away Maddison’s penalty when the forward went down the middle following Michael Keane’s handball.
The notes on Maddison’s technique on the goalkeeper’s water bottle said ‘stay’.
Iwobi took advantage to find the corner after 54 minutes and a thrilling game continued when James Tarkowski cleared Vardy’s goal-bound header.
Iversen ensured it would finish level with a fine save from Abdoulaye Doucoure with Leicester unbeaten in their last three games.
Everton boss Sean Dyche said: “It’s such a strange journey since I’ve been here. When I got here they’d taken five points from 12 games now we’re a point for point on games. Now it’s about taking it on even further.
“Sometimes you think ‘I don’t know how they are 2-1 up’ and I certainly thought that at halftime. The composure of the team to keep performing in the second half was pleasing and we’re going to keep needing that.
“I’ve seen this league change many times. We’ve got tough games but everyone’s got tough games, this stage of the season is about tough games.
“Every game should be a must-win when you are a professional. I thought it was a very good performance, the will, the demand but also the quality to create things.
“All the markers which usually bring a win were there. They didn’t but we have to keep doing that because it shows there’s a clear shift from the last game.”
On Coleman, he added: “We’re waiting on news. It doesn’t look great and we’re waiting on more details.”
