Everton sacrificed another first-half lead but earned their first point of the season at winless Leicester in a 1-1 draw which was delayed at half-time due to thunder and lightning.
Sean Dyche’s depleted side had blown a two-goal advantage during defeats in their last two Premier League matches, plus led in midweek before being dumped out of the Carabao Cup – and again could not hold on at the King Power Stadium.
Everton deserved more than a point although they were punished for not taking their chances. The first came in only the fourth minute when Jesper Lindstrom volleyed wide but soon Iliman Ndiaye fired in off the right post from Ashley Young’s smart pass.
The heavens opened midway through the first period which made things even more awkward for Jordan Pickford when Stephy Mavididi’s shot-cum-cross almost caught him out and forced the Everton goalkeeper to push the ball onto the woodwork.
The second half was delayed by seven minutes and when play restarted, Ndiaye fired over from inside the box before Leicester’s Jordan Ayew hooked a shot over.
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Leicester’s Premier League match against Everton was delayed in the second half as a deluge struck the King Power Stadium
Everton’s big chance to extend their lead came when Dwight McNeil slipped Dominic Calvert-Lewin through on goal with the striker denied by Mads Hermansen’s good low save to his right.
Leicester slowly built momentum as the visitors’ legs tired with Mavididi spinning in the six-yard box to net an equaliser after Harry Winks’ corner dropped kindly, but the result still leaves both sides winless after five games.
Flashes of forward form hint at storm passing for Everton
Sky Sports‘ Jonny Coffey:
As the travelling fans hauled on ponchos, the doom and gloom of it all would have been hard to miss. But, with proverbs hanging in the balance, Everton’s attackers acted as silver linings on a cloudy day.
Ndiaye, the standout, netted his first Premier League goal, darting in from the left wing to receive Ashley Young’s pass before chopping beyond a defender and powering the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
Iliman Ndiaye scores Everton’s opening goal at Leicester
This was not the only moment of quality that the Senegal international produced. Earlier, in the fourth minute, the winger had spun past his marker on the left flank and floated a pinpoint cross towards the back post, which Lindstrom volleyed wide.
Lindstrom is yet to find the net in three Premier League appearances since arriving on a season-long loan from Napoli, but that is a reflection on his finishing struggles, not a lack of attacking threat.
Iliman Ndiaye celebrates after giving Everton the lead at Leicester
The 24-year-old registered an xG of 0.47 across four shots which was more than any player on either side and almost half of Everton’s total (0.97). If he can show more composure in front of goal, something that may develop as he adapts to his new club, then his well-timed bursts into the box will add real threat to the Everton attack.
The form and fitness of Dominic Calvert-Lewin may also determine Everton’s attacking potency moving forward and he continued his quietly impressive start to the season here.
Dyche: We didn’t kill off game
Everton manager Sean Dyche said:
“It was a very positive display. Chances go begging again, unfortunately – we’ve done that too many times in games where we could kill it off but we didn’t.
“Everything that lands in our box at the minute seems to drop to them. It’s a scruffy one, it bounces all over the place and lo and behold it goes in.”
On a possible abandonment due to lightning: “The way things are going for me, I’d have probably got hit. It was bizarre weather.”
Cooper: First-half performance nowhere near it
Leicester manager Steve Cooper said:
“After our first-half performance, we’ll have to take a point. It was not what we wanted, we intended to attack the game but we were nowhere near the level in the first half.
“We changed things at half-time, not a tactical thing or any rocket science, just re-asserting the values and commitment needed to win the game.
“To be fair to the guys they didn’t go under, they kept going and managed to get back into the game. We pushed and pushed and tried to get a clear chance, giving up a few counter-attacks as expected against Everton because they have real quality. But we didn’t quite get through.”
