Leicester City faced a heavy defeat against Everton at Goodison Park on 1st February 2025, with the match concluding 4-0 in favour of the home side. The game kicked off at 3:00pm in front of a vibrant crowd of 39,376 fans, who witnessed a dominant performance from Everton.
Leicester City lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for attacking flair. Mads Hermansen took his place in goal, shielded by a back four consisting of James Justin and Victor Kristiansen as the right and left defenders, respectively, with Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard occupying the central defensive roles. In midfield, Harry Winks and Boubakary Soumare were tasked with controlling the centre of the park, while Jordan Ayew, Bilal El Khannouss, and Bobby De Cordova-Reid formed a trio of attacking midfielders supporting lone striker Jamie Vardy. The substitutes available for Leicester included Patson Daka, Caleb Okoli, Stephy Mavididi, and Woyo Coulibaly.
The match began in disastrous fashion for Leicester, as Everton struck early with a goal just one minute in. A swift move saw the ball played into the box, where an Everton forward found space to slot home with his right foot, sending the home crowd into raptures. The visitors struggled to recover from this early setback, and just five minutes later, Everton doubled their lead. Another incisive attack culminated in a close-range finish, again executed with precision by the Everton striker.
As the first half progressed, Leicester attempted to find their rhythm, but Everton's relentless pressure proved too much. Just before the half-time whistle, the home side added a third goal, capitalising on a defensive lapse from Leicester. A well-placed shot from inside the box found the back of the net, leaving Hermansen with little chance to respond. The half-time score stood at 3-0, with Leicester needing a monumental effort to turn the tide in the second half.
The second half saw Leicester make tactical changes, with Patson Daka and Caleb Okoli introduced shortly after the hour mark, replacing Jamie Vardy and Jannik Vestergaard, respectively. These substitutions aimed to inject fresh energy into the team and bolster their attacking options. However, Leicester continued to struggle to create meaningful chances against a resolute Everton defence.
As the match wore on, Leicester made further changes, bringing on Stephy Mavididi and Woyo Coulibaly in the 76th minute, replacing Bobby De Cordova-Reid and James Justin. Despite these efforts, Leicester's performance remained lacklustre, and their woes were compounded in the dying moments of the match.
In the 90th minute, a misplaced pass from Caleb Okoli proved costly, as it was intercepted by an Everton player who quickly capitalised on the mistake. The resulting attack led to Everton's fourth goal, sealing a comprehensive victory for the home side. The final whistle blew, confirming a disappointing afternoon for Leicester City, who will need to regroup and reassess after such a heavy defeat. Bilal El Khannouss was noted for his efforts throughout the match, earning recognition as the Player of the Match despite the team's struggles.
