Brighton 1-2 Leicester: Daniel Amartey heads vital winner for Foxes in more late agony for Seagulls
Limping, coughing and spluttering, Leicester are just about keeping themselves where they need to be. It hasn’t been pretty lately, and this one certainly wasn’t, but maybe they will ride out this iffy patch after all.
It won’t be easy – not with the mass of bodies undergoing treatment back in the Midlands. But after going three games without a win amid their injury carnage, Brendan Rodgers’ side have at least reasserted themselves via this slog of a victory.
They trailed to Adam Lallana’s first-half goal and at that point all manner of awkward possibilities may have followed, particularly if the forward’s subsequent header at 1-0 hadn’t hit the post. Likewise if the same player had buried a chance in front of goal 10 minutes from time, with the score at 1-1. Ifs and buts – the most pointless lament in football, and one that is accompanying Brighton and Graham Potter into choppy waters.
Leicester City earned a vital late 2-1 victory over Brighton to hold onto their top-four place
Daniel Amartey took advantage of Robert Sanchez’s error to win it late on for the Foxes
Kelechi Iheanacho had brought his side level in the second half with a fine lofted finish
They play such nice football, lovely at times, but again their failure to perform the most fundamental act of the game has cost them, and indeed allowed Leicester to save themselves.
The first step in the revival came when Kelechi Iheanacho levelled around the hour, and the gut punch followed from Daniel Amartey following Robert Sanchez’s mis-read of a Marc Albrighton corner. It was a bad error from a good goalkeeper, and with it Brighton lost a game they might have won. Their winless run is now six in all competitions while Leicester climbed to second.
Rodgers said: ‘The first half we were too passive and a bit tired from midweek. Brighton have shown that if you allow them to play they give anyone a problem, and we deserved to go behind. But second half we were outstanding – tempo, mentality, everything.
‘We have a lot of attacking players out and I don’t want to use that as an excuse. We have to find a way. This was an important win.’
Potter was left the regret the same familiar issue of a missed opportunity. He said: ‘We are suffering. I thought the performance deserved something from the game.
‘We are where we are in the league. We know we are in a fight.’
Potter made only one change to the side beaten by West Brom, with Lallana brought in for the injured Aaron Connolly and stationed to the right of Neal Maupay in a redrawn attacking unit of three. It was in partnership with the latter that the opening goal was created and completed.
Adam Lallana deservedly put Brighton ahead in the first half with a cool finish after 10 minutes
The former Liverpool midfielder put in his best display in a Brighton shirt but it wasn’t enough
Maupay’s work was impressive, first in the attrition of bouncing off two challenges and then in the precision of passing against his direction of travel and into Lallana’s path, via a shrinking corridor. The forward finished for his first strike since playing for Liverpool against Manchester United in 2019. Rodgers, his former manager at Anfield, looked pretty miffed with his personnel and given the slow response of his backline to Lallana’s run, he probably had a point.
For all their class and craft, Brighton don’t score many, and so it was perhaps indicative of Leicester’s recent struggles that they were so clearly the lesser side of the first half. That was true of the 10 minutes before the goal, and most of the 35 that followed, including Lallana’s glanced header against the post shortly before the break following a Pascal Gross cross. Maupay also had a goal disallowed for offside.
Of course, injuries are Rodgers’ big weakness at present. Seven were out for this game, and plainly they are struggling to hold the fort. Jamie Vardy’s lack of goals has been a significant issue of 2021 and it was notable here that across the opening 45 he barely had a touch.
His best contribution was in heading Kelechi Iheanacho’s long ball to Sidnei Tavares, who on his full debut brought a good save from Sanchez.
The second half was all very different. Leicester were immediately more energetic and Brighton’s level dropped noticeably.
Sanchez had made a superb stop to deny debutant Sidnei Tavares’ strike in the first half
It was a familiar story for Brighton, who dropped even more points after going in front
The visitor’s equaliser originated when Lallana conceded possession in Brighton’s half, but the key contribution came from Youri Tielemans, who sent the ball down a tight channel to Iheanacho. It was a good finish but an excellent assist.
With that momentum, Leicester started to call the shots. An excellent tackle from Yves Bissouma blocked Tavares at the trigger point, and Tielemans forced a scramble after a cross from the byline. Lallana had a glorious chance at retaliation from a Pascal Gross pass, only to drive his shot a step too close to Kasper Schmeichel.
Vardy had a good claim for a penalty against Lewis Dunk – neither the referee nor VAR agreed – and a moment later the decisive goal came. It started with an in-swinging corner from Albrighton, which enticed Sanchez, who came and missed. The ball fell for Amartey and he finished at the back post.
Relive all the action as it happened with Sportsmail below:
