Leicester 2-2 Brighton: Evan Ferguson’s late header secures a point for the Seagulls

If James Maddison had any doubts about the level of expectation that now rests on his shoulders at Leicester, the response when he arrived as a second-half substitute would have removed them.

The Foxes playmaker had not featured since before the World Cup break due to knee trouble and without him, Leicester had slipped to four consecutive defeats.

So when Maddison replaced Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall after 69 minutes, the reaction was telling. The roar from the home crowd was as loud as it had been for either of Leicester’s goals, from Marc Albrighton and Harvey Barnes.

Evan Ferguson struck a later header to hand Brighton a point against Leicester City 

Kaoru Mitoma opened the scoring with a stunning strike to hand Brighton the lead 

On this occasion, Maddison could not guide his side over the finish line as substitute Evan Ferguson equalised three minutes from time, leaving Leicester still looking for their first victory in the Premier League since the World Cup break.

Kaoru Mitoma had given Brighton a deserved lead and a point was the least Roberto De Zerbi’s side deserved, after Danny Welbeck was bizarrely denied a penalty and Pascal Gross missed a sitter.

Maddison’s late free-kick hit the wall and Leicester remain deep in trouble, a point above the relegation zone and only three above bottom club Southampton.

Maddison’s contract expires at the end of next season and there is little chance of him renewing. Everything points to a sale in the summer yet if he can keep Leicester up, he would deserve to leave a hero.

‘He hasn’t played for 11 weeks and it was great for us to have that quality,’ said Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers. ‘Someone that can pass the ball, take the ball and play with that imagination.

‘To play at this level you have to have a pride with the ball and a number of our players don’t care enough when they have it and aren’t bothered to give it away. That always frustrates me.

‘If you give the ball away cheaply and then you have to go chasing after it and then you’re picking it out the back of the net. We should have won the game. It is important now moving into the second half of the season — every point counts. The players gave everything.’

Look around the Leicester squad for difference-makers and beyond Maddison, they are thin on the ground. He struck seven goals and had four assists before the season paused and probably needs to double both those tallies to ensure Leicester’s top-flight survival.

After Leicester meet Walsall in the FA Cup next weekend, their schedule in February looks ferocious. Unai Emery’s improving Aston Villa away, followed by Tottenham at home, Manchester United away, and Arsenal at home.

Marc Albrighton levelled the score with a close-range rebound after 38 minutes

With chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha — known as Khun Top — watching, this result will have eased the strain a little on Rodgers but there is little respite on the horizon for the Northern Irishman.

Rodgers and Khun Top met for lunch at the training ground last week and more signings are expected to follow Danish defender Victor Kristiansen, who should make his debut against Walsall. Writing in the programme, Khun Top said: ‘We’ve shown the character and quality to turn such form around already this season and I’m confident we can do that again. Supporting that process through adding to the squad has been a high priority for us.’

What Leicester need is to find a gem like Mitoma. The Japan winger was comfortably the best player on show. Not only did he score a brilliant goal, cutting in from the left and finding the far corner from 20 yards, Mitoma was a constant menace. When he stuck to the flank, he made a fool of Timothy Castagne with his flawless touch and clever movement. 

He was just as effective when drifting inside, allowing Pervis Estupinan to overlap.

Brendan Rodgers is still looking for his first league win since November after Saturday’s draw

After Mitoma’s fine opener, it looked like another long afternoon in store for Leicester. But three minutes after replacing the injured Dennis Praet, Albrighton slotted in the equaliser after shots from Barnes and Youri Tielemans had been blocked.

Then Barnes put Leicester ahead midway through the second half with a controlled finish when left-back Luke Thomas flicked on Albrighton’s corner.

Earlier, Thomas seemed to have tripped Welbeck inside the box but no spot-kick was awarded and De Zerbi was booked for protesting. Then Gross missed an easy chance and Leicester must have thought their luck was in.

But their brittle defence was again exposed when Ferguson, who had replaced Welbeck, sneaked away from Wout Faes and Daniel Amartey to head in off a post. ‘We deserved to win,’ said De Zerbi. ‘We played better than Leicester in the second half and there was only one team on the pitch.’