Minute-by-minute updates from the 6pm BST kick-offLive scoreboard: the latest from all Wednesday’s matchesHow they stand: the latest Premier League tableGet in touch with Paul by email or on twitter 6.03pm BST 2 min: Nice patient play by Leicester. Then Tielemans makes an incision with a sudden change of pace and a body swerve past one opponent at the edge of the D. He slips a pass through to Vady, who takes a touch and readies himself for a shot from 15 yards but Digne does exceptionally well to put himself between the striker an the ball, which he ushers calmly back to Pickford. Still, that was encouraging from Leicester, especially the flicker from Tielemans, from who a return to form would be very welcome. 6.01pm BST 1 min: Leicester set the ball rolling. 5.57pm BST The teams saunter into the empty arena, with Z cars blaring out at its usual volume. The players, meanwhile, are dressed as if their outfits were chosen hastily from a traditional babyware outlet: Everton are in blue, Leicester in pink. 5.44pm BST In cricket they talk about the “nervous nineties”, when a batsman can start asking himself all kinds of paralysing questions after swishing his way to the brink of a century. Should he blast his way to that 100? Should he play tight to make sure he gets there? Often those questions prey on his mind so much he gives his wicket away. Is that what’s happened to Jamie Vardy lately? He’s been tantalisingly close to reaching 100 Premier League goals for a heck of a long time now: he had 97 by the turn of the year but since then has only added made it to 99 thanks, having scored against no one other than Aston Villa in 2020. But here’s the thing: he hasn’t missed a huge amount of chances; the problem has been a lack of regular service: Maddison and especially Tielemans have gone a little flat lately, while the likes of Barnes and Gray are not consistent enough. Add in the fact that Ndidi was injured for a while and Ricardo Pereira is still absent and you see why Leicester haven’t been firing on all cylinders. But they’re not far off, and one big win, no matter how it comes could help them get their groove back. And Vardy may finally get his 100 up - and what a feat that would be for a guy who was still playing in non-league at the age of 25. Today could be the day. 5.38pm BST Carlo Ancelotti says Everton are still in the hunt for a European place, saying “our aim is to be in the fight until the last game of the game of the season.” Rodgers, meanwhile, says the first goal in today’s game could be crucial, suggesting that if Leicester get it, the surge in confidence will help them rediscover their pre-Christmas vibrancy. 5.12pm BST Everton have made two changes to the side that started the win at Norwich, with Gordon and Sigurdsson replacing Davies and Bernard. Leicester, meanwhile, have introduced Albrighton for Perez. James Maddison is only fit enough for a place on the benchEverton: Pickford; Coleman, Holgate, Keane; Digne; Iwobi, Gomes, Sigurdsson, Gordon; Calveret-Lewin, Richarlison 11.59am BST Hello there. If you’re looking to banish a creeping sense of anti-climax, then you’ve come to the right place. Because Leicester are trying to shake off that exact same feeling. After excelling to get themselves third in the table, they’ve started to teeter, and now there’s real danger of them tumbling out of the Champions League slots. Given that Brendan Rodgers’ side advanced far in both cup competitions only to fall flat, there are question marks about this youngish team’s ability to hold their nerve when the heat is on. And make no mistake: with Wolves, Chelsea and Manchester United hitting powerful strides, the heat is on, on, on!As for Everton, the early stages of their evolution under Carlo Ancelotti have been promising. He has tightened them up and has a top-half finish in his sights. His team haven’t conceded a goal since emerging from lockdown; meanwhile, Jamie Vardy has failed to score in 12 of his last 13 appearances. Something has got to give, right? Because 0-0 would do no one any good. Action stations! Continue readingreadfullarticle
