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CHELSEA CLOSE ON THIRD PLACE DESPITE LEICESTER DRAW

Chelsea all but guaranteed themselves a third-place finish in the Premier League courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge.

James Maddison fired Leicester into a sixth-minute lead from the edge of the penalty area before Marcos Alonso met a Reece James cross on the volley to restore parity on 34 minutes.

The hosts upped the ante after the interval with Romelu Lukaku heading wide, Christian Pulisic missing from close range and Antonio Rudiger being thwarted in a frenetic six-minute spell.

Further chances fell to Trevor Chalobah and James but the hosts were unable to find a winner.

The result takes Chelsea’s points to 71, three more than Tottenham Hotspur with the Blues boasting a superior goal difference.

Leicester stay ninth with 49 points from 37 matches.

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EVERTON OUT OF RELEGATION ZONE WITH 2-1 WIN AT LEICESTER

Mason Holgate fired resurgent Everton out of the Premier League relegation zone with the winning goal in a 2-1 victory at Leicester.

The defender’s header secured back-to-back league wins for just the second time this season as the Toffees moved above Leeds, who were beaten at Arsenal on Sunday, and Burnley.

Vitalii Mykolenko’s stunning opener was cancelled out by Patson Daka – following comical Everton defending – but the Toffees recovered to give themselves a huge lifeline.

It was just their second away win in the Premier League this season and first since August.

Trailing Burnley by five points before beating Chelsea last week, the Toffees are now a point above the bottom three after the Clarets lost to Aston Villa and Leeds’ 2-1 defeat to the Gunners.

Everton also still have a game in hand and it represents a dramatic turnaround but they needed three fine second-half saves from Jordan Pickford to earn the points.

Leicester – who lost their Europa Conference League semi-final second leg 1-0 to Roma to bow out 2-1 on aggregate on Thursday – remain 14th.

The Foxes’ season has unravelled having been three points off the top seven at the start of the year with boss Brendan Rodgers ready to revamp his squad in the summer.

Everton, unchanged from their vital win over Chelsea, would have surely been buoyed to see Jamie Vardy only among the substitutes but they needed Yerry Mina to bail them out after three minutes.

The Toffees lost the ball in midfield and Kelechi Iheanacho darted towards goal, he slipped in Daka to beat Pickford but not the sliding Mina who diverted the goalbound shot behind.

But, despite Leicester’s start, it was Everton who grabbed the lead after just six minutes.

The Foxes were slow to react from a throw-in which allowed Alex Iwobi to cross for Mykolenko and he crashed a brilliant volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Mina’s afternoon then quickly got worse as he soon played his own calamitous part in Leicester’s 11th-minute leveller.

He and Seamus Coleman – neither under pressure – went for the same header 25 yards out only to collide and crumple into a heap.

Daka seized on the gift and ran through to easily beat Pickford for his first goal since February.

It was all Everton’s own making but came just seconds after Kasper Schmeichel had turned a close-range Abdoulaye Doucoure effort onto the post to stop the visitors doubling their lead.

Mina was forced off injured to complete his misery but Everton regained their composure to retake the lead after half an hour.

Again it was Leicester’s Achilles heel, a set-piece, which provided the chance with Demarai Gray swinging in a right-wing corner.

Schmeichel parried Richarlison’s header but the Foxes failed to track Holgate as he was quickest to react to nod in from close range.

It was the 56th league goal the hosts have conceded this season with 18 now coming from set-pieces.

Improvement was needed and Pickford turned Nampalys Mendy’s drive wide just after the hour before Vardy replaced the midfielder with the Foxes desperately seeking inspiration.

The hosts had hardly cranked up the pressure but England’s number one Pickford produced an excellent reaction stop to keep Harvey Barnes out after 68 minutes.

That did spark Leicester into life and Pickford continued his own personal battle with Barnes by pushing his low effort behind with 19 minutes left.

Barnes glanced a header wide as the hosts edged closer to a leveller which never came as Everton celebrated a huge step towards survival.

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Leicester hunt Roma scalp

The Europa Conference League semi-finals are delicately balanced going into Thursday’s second legs.

Feyenoord take a one-goal lead over Marseille to France and honours are even between Roma and Leicester after a tight first encounter in the East Midlands.

We take a closer look at tomorrow’s ties to see who is likely to book a spot in the Tirana showpiece.

A competitive first leg at the King Power Stadium has left the tie finely poised ahead of the Foxes’ trip to the Italian capital.

Jose Mourinho’s outfit took the lead early on before the hosts netted a second-half equaliser and then turned the screw, creating a number of late chances.

The two teams looked evenly matched and another stalemate to send it to extra-time is very much on the cards.

Both sides have drawn three of their last four in all competitions and this again looks likely to be a close affair.

A concern for Brendan Rodgers’ men will be the fact that they have lost three of their six away outings in Europe this season, including a 3-2 Europa League defeat in Italy to Napoli last December.

However, they did manage a spirited comeback on the road against PSV Eindhoven in the previous round so have it within them to reach a first-ever European final.

Keeping Tammy Abraham quiet will be key for the Foxes — the English striker has eight goals in the Europa Conference League this year and demonstrated his impressive link-up play throughout the first leg.

All in all, another score draw may well be the likely outcome when these two meet.

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ADEMOLA LOOKMAN EARNS HARD-FOUGHT DRAW FOR LEICESTER AS THEY HUNT SPOT IN FINAL

Ademola Lookman kept Leicester dreaming in Europe after a gutsy draw with Roma.

The striker’s ninth goal of the season will send the Foxes to the Stadio Olimpico for their Europa Conference League semi-final second leg next week locked at 1-1.

Brendan Rodgers’ side gave themselves a fighting chance in Italy after a spirited display, despite Lorenzo Pellegrini’s first-half opener.

They bossed Roma for long spells and will feel they can reach next month’s final in Tirana.

However, Leicester will be frustrated with a draw having started well, only to let their guard down once in the first half.

Jamie Vardy’s 19-minute cameo in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa allowed him to stretch his legs and his threat was evident inside the first two minutes.

Chris Smalling slipped under pressure from the striker, forcing Gianluca Mancini to clear behind the first of a flurry of Leicester corners.

From one, a stretching Timothy Castagne headed wide at the far post but Leicester’s bright opening was halted when Roma grabbed the lead after 15 minutes.

Nicolo Zaniolo’s crossfield pass found Nicola Zalewski and he was allowed to run unchallenged and slip in Pellegrini.

The captain had darted behind Wesley Fofana and, with Youri Tielemans failing to track him, fired his fourth goal in eight European matches this season through Kasper Schmeichel’s legs.

The Foxes lost Castagne, replaced by James Justin, to injury soon after and they briefly lost their way as Roma grew into the contest.

Yet the Foxes rediscovered their bite and Lookman twice stretched the visitors. First, Smalling expertly blocked Lookman’s shot before coming to the rescue of Rui Patricio after 34 minutes.

Lookman, this time on the edge of the area, again found space with Patricio parrying his drive and the goalkeeper needed Smalling to quickly clear ahead of a lurking Vardy.

Former Manchester United defender Smalling then clattered Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – again excellent for the Foxes – only for James Maddison’s free kick to hit the wall.

Maddison curled over five minutes before the break and the theme continued in the second half with Lookman completely miscuing a header over from six yards.

But the on-loan RB Leipzig forward had been the Foxes biggest threat and Roma’s resolve finally broke after 67 minutes.

Substitute Harvey Barnes made an instant impact as Roger Ibanez tried to cut out his pass into the area, only to play the ball straight back to the winger.

Barnes took full advantage and crossed for Lookman to bundle in from close range.

Buoyant Leicester looked for a second and Kelechi Iheanacho headed over under pressure while Maddison ramped up his influence.

The Foxes – by far the better side – kept their cool as they searched for openings and Patricio needed to turn Iheanacho’s curling effort wide after Tielemans robbed Bryan Cristante.

Yet they were almost undone with 10 minutes left after brilliant footwork and strength from Tammy Abraham teed up Sergio Oliveira and Schmeichel turned his effort behind.

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JAMIE VARDY RETURNS BUT LEICESTER FORCED TO DRAW BY ASTON VILLA

Jamie Vardy’s return failed to inspire Leicester to victory as they were held to a drab goalless draw by Aston Villa.

The striker made just his second appearance since December after hamstring and knee injuries in a 0-0 stalemate at the King Power Stadium.

Yet Vardy’s comeback as a second-half substitute still offers a huge boost ahead of the Foxes’ Europa Conference League semi-final first leg against Roma on Thursday.

That they emerged unscathed and earned a point from a bruising but forgettable encounter will be a comfort, with Jose Mourinho’s side arriving next week.

Battling Villa, 15th in the table, at least ended a run of four straight defeats and had the best chances, Leon Bailey firing over and Tyrone Mings getting a header all wrong, but they were no better than the Foxes in a tight game.

Steven Gerrard’s side squandered the game’s biggest opening early on when Wesley Fofana’s poor header let in Ollie Watkins and he centred for Bailey to blaze over.

Watkins also shot straight at Kasper Schmeichel from distance but, despite Villa’s two chances, Leicester – who sit 10th in the Premier League – were the aggressors.

They tried to pin Villa back at times but the visitors, on the back of their poor run, were more determined than in their recent losses.

Both sides were loose with possession, Patson Daka failing to capitalise after being gifted the ball by John McGinn, which contributed to a stilted half which never really got going.

James Maddison’s free-kick briefly had Emi Martinez concerned but despite edging the first half, Leicester never tested the goalkeeper.

Villa emerged for the second with renewed purpose and Mings’ miscued header from five yards saw them blow an early chance.

Watkins’ angled drive was then shovelled behind by Schmeichel but, after that, there was little to suggest anyone would break the deadlock.

It was a battle, Villa championed by McGinn and Leicester spurred on by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and little to separate the sides.

Vardy was finally summoned from the bench with 20 minutes to go after six weeks out with a knee injury.

His presence immediately lifted the hosts and Villa replaced the ineffective Philippe Coutinho with Emi Buendia but could not find any extra edge.

Maddison’s free-kick brought a good save from Martinez but a winner never came.

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EVERTON 1-1 LEICESTER: LATE RICHARLISON LEVELER GRABS POINT FOR THE TOFFEES

Richarlison grabbed a crucial added-time equaliser against Leicester to give Everton a much-needed boost in their battle to avoid relegation.

An eighth home league defeat looked on the cards after conceding a fifth-minute goal to Harvey Barnes.

But in the second of five minutes of additional time the Brazil international, who had already missed two much easier chances, forced home a shot to make it 1-1.

It was a goal which could yet have greater significance in their bid to avoid the drop as it extended the gap over 18th-placed Burnley to four points.

However, it may not be enough to stop them falling into the bottom three this weekend as by the time they arrive at Anfield on Sunday afternoon for the Merseyside derby against a red-hot Liverpool side they could be two points adrift of safety as Burnley have home games against Southampton (Thursday) and Wolves.

While the draw was frustrating for Leicester, whose understrength side lost at Newcastle at the weekend, a point did little for their league position as they remain in ninth, with their priority now being the Europa Conference League semi-final against Roma.

Everton centre-back Yerry Mina was thrust straight back into the team with a first appearance since early February after finally recovering from a thigh injury but striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was absent having been ruled out for at least 10 days with a quadricep problem.

The Colombia international’s first real interaction was to inadvertently deflect Kelechi Iheanacho’s shot from James Maddison’s cut-back into the path of Barnes who could not miss from close range.

That was just after five minutes but Everton would probably have been behind after just 21 seconds had Seamus Coleman’s last-ditch tackle not denied Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall who was through on goal.

Even at kick-off, the atmosphere was not what would have been expected for a night game at Goodison Park and the goal just flattened it further.

Maddison should probably have doubled Leicester’s lead after driving from deep and offloading to collect Iheanacho’s lay-off but his weak shot was straight at Jordan Pickford.

Everton were dropping so deep in a 4-5-1 it allowed the visitors virtually all the possession in the middle third but the game plan appeared to be to sit it out and then break when the chance arose.

The problem was Richarlison, as the central striker, was so far detached from the rest of the team there was little chance of springing a quick riposte.

But the Brazil international did not help himself when unmarked as he bundled wide Anthony Gordon’s cross from five yards.

Alex Iwobi started to produce more runs from deep but it took a Fabian Delph tackle on Barnes out on the touchline, one of the few the hosts had landed on their opponents, to lift the crowd.

And when Gordon did break free on the right his cross sailed out of play on the far side, while a Richarlison header and Demarai Gray shot were both off target as Everton tried to fashion a response.

The problem they had was Maddison and Dewsbury-Hall were seeing so much of the ball on Leicester’s flanks Frank Lampard’s side had little control over the direction of the game.

With almost an hour gone, and Everton having roused themselves after the break, Lampard opted for a more attacking approach by replacing defensive midfielder Allan with Dele Alli in a switch to a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Salomon Rondon’s introduction then gave the home side someone to aim at and his first knockdown produced their first shot on target – in the 68th minute – when Kasper Schmeichel saved from Richarlison.

But Leicester, particularly Maddison, still posed their own threat as Pickford punched clear his fierce drive.

On the touchline Lampard was urging calm but his players had adopted a more open approach, which at times meant a five attacking and five defending.

It led to Richarlison missing another chance from six yards out, this time a header from a set-piece, and Rondon flashing a header wide and the chance seemed to have gone until the Brazilian finally hit the target to completely alter the mood.

But with matches to come against Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester again before the crucial trip to Watford on May 11 safety still remains far from assured.

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LEICESTER STRIKE LATE TO STUN PSV IN EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL

Ricardo Pereira’s dramatic late strike sent gutsy Leicester into the Europa Conference League semi-finals after they stunned PSV.

The defender’s goal with two minutes left completed a brilliant turnaround to seal a 2-1 win on the night in Eindhoven in their quarter-final second leg.

James Maddison had levelled the tie with 13 minutes remaining after Youri Tielemans’ error allowed Eran Zahavi to grab a first-half opener.

The Foxes will face Bodo/Glimt or Roma in the final four having reached the semi-final of a European competition for the first time in their history.

After last week’s 0-0 first-leg draw in Leicester, boss Brendan Rodgers felt PSV would be more open at home and the Foxes found some early joy but were reminded of the hosts’ threat after 14 minutes.

Philipp Max scampered down the left and crossed for the unmarked Mario Gotze to hit a volley which Kasper Schmeichel brilliantly turned over.

It was clear it would be far more open than the first leg and Leicester should have gone ahead two minutes later when Harvey Barnes missed a fine chance.

Kelechi Iheanacho’s pass sent the forward racing towards goal but, with Andre Ramalho for company, he rolled his tame shot a yard wide.

It was to prove costly as, after Schmeichel saved from Joey Veerman, Leicester self-destructed after 27 minutes to gift PSV the lead.

Tielemans’ poor pass fell straight to Gotze and he darted towards the area before feeding Zahavi. The striker found space and drilled an angled drive across Schmeichel into the corner.

Leicester had been sloppy when it counted most, at both ends, but they were more than equal to PSV, with Tielemans’ mistake the only real difference.

The Foxes remained undaunted and could have levelled after 33 minutes when Maddison’s drive hit Ramalho and looped over Yvon Mvogo, only for Jordan Teze to acrobatically clear off the line.

Chances came and went, with Timothy Castagne heading wide and Maddison firing over as the Foxes continued to prove they would find openings.

With 45 minute to save their European hopes, Rodgers sent on Ademola Lookman and Patson Daka for Barnes and Marc Albrighton at the break as he rolled the dice to reach the last four.

PSV, though, initially looked the more likely to add a second, with Veerman’s low drive fizzing wide, Tielemans presenting a chance to Cody Gakpo and Zahavi heading over.

But Leicester spurned their own glorious opening to level just after the hour when Lookman played Daka through and the striker drilled wide from the edge of the area.

Mvogo turned Maddison’s low effort wide soon after and the Foxes survived a huge scare when Ibrahim Sangare, found by Gakpo, held off Castagne but fired over.

Yet Rodgers’ men had been gaining momentum, with Maddison at the heart, and they levelled with 13 minutes left.

Substitute Ayoze Perez battled his way to the byline and showed excellent awareness to pick out Maddison, who swept high past Mvogo from 12 yards.

Tails up, Leicester could sense victory and, after Mvogo denied Perez, they stunned the Philips Stadium with a winner two minutes from time.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall slipped in Lookman and he crossed for Daka, whose shot was parried by Mvogo with the ball running free for Pereira to fire in the rebound and send the Foxes into dreamland.

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LEICESTER HELD TO FRUSTRATING DRAW BY PSV IN FIRST LEG OF QUARTER FINAL

Leicester missed the chance to take control of their Europa Conference League quarter-final after drawing 0-0 with PSV.

The Foxes head to Eindhoven next week without a precious advantage following an even and competitive first leg at the King Power Stadium.

Harvey Barnes hit the bar and Kelechi Iheanacho missed a golden first-half chance to give Leicester crucial breathing space.

Ultimately the Foxes were left frustrated in a combative encounter, although they needed Kasper Schmeichel to bail them out early when he saved from Mario Gozte.

Leicester’s last European quarter-final was their 2017 Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid. Then, they gallantly bowed out 2-1 on aggregate after two gutsy performances and this time they go to Eindhoven with the tie delicately poised.

Five years ago they were defiant in the face of the footballing elite and, after a disappointing early exit from the Europa League in December, the Foxes are three games away from their first European final.

They face a team second in the Eredivisie, but outgoing PSV boss Roger Schmidt, who will be replaced by Ruud Van Nistelrooy in the summer, insisted pre-match his side could not match Leicester’s individual talent.

He argued they needed to use their collective ability and the visitors nearly stunned the hosts after just two minutes.

The Foxes were caught napping at a throughball and Gotze had just Schmeichel to beat, but the goalkeeper – one of only two survivors from the starting line up against Atletico – saved well.

Initially Leicester failed to settle, with the lively Noni Madueke central to PSV’s early threat, but they gradually began to see more of the ball and wrestled a degree of control.

And they should have gone ahead after 20 minutes, only for Iheanacho to blow his chance.

Joey Veerman was closed down by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and he blocked his pass to send Iheanacho clear after outpacing Andre Ramalho.

The striker was left with just Yvon Mvogo to beat, but he dinked the ball wide.

It at least proved the openings were there for Leicester and Timothy Castagne was the next to threaten, but he failed to trouble Mvogo.

The Foxes were finding the space needed and they were millimetres away from going into the break ahead.

Again, Dewsbury-Hall was the instigator as he charged down the left and cut the ball back for Barnes to swap passes with Iheanacho and crash an angled drive off the underside of the bar from 12 yards.

The Foxes were the aggressors and PSV had lacked the imagination to unlock Leicester since Schmeichel’s early duel with Gotze.

The visitors did, however, make appeals for a penalty early in the second half when Ricardo Pereira slipped and appeared to foul Cody Gakpo, but referee Ivan Kruzliak was unmoved and there was no VAR to review.

Iheanacho drilled wide just after the hour and, as the game wore on, PSV were clearly happy to take the draw back to the Philips Stadium.

They took the sting out of the game and now Leicester must do things the hard way in Holland.

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TIMOTHY CASTAGNE AND JAMES MADDISON FIRE LEICESTER TO WIN OVER BRENTFORD

Timothy Castagne and James Maddison each produced superb first-half strikes as Leicester beat Brentford 2-1 at the King Power Stadium and moved into the top half of the Premier League.

Castagne marked his return from injury in style by powering a shot into the top corner in the 20th minute to put the Foxes ahead, and Maddison added a delightful free-kick 13 minutes later.

Having brought some good saves out of Kasper Schmeichel after the break, Brentford pulled a goal back through Yoane Wissa with five minutes of normal time remaining but they were unable to save themselves from defeat.

A third victory in four league outings for Brendan Rodgers’ men sees them move up two places to 10th in the table.

Thomas Frank’s Bees, who were without Christian Eriksen due to coronavirus, remain 15th, eight points above the relegation zone.

The first real attempt of the contest was registered in the fifth minute as Maddison struck wide, before Bryan Mbeumo went down under the attentions of Caglar Soyuncu and Daniel Amartey. Visiting supporters called for a penalty but none was given.

The build-up to that incident had featured a mistake by Castagne – but the Belgian, making his first appearance since December after recovering from a thigh problem, then had Leicester fans on their feet three minutes later as he collected the ball from Harvey Barnes and fired in from just outside the box.

After Schmeichel blocked a Mathias Jensen effort the home crowd were then sent into raptures by another show-stopper, this time from Maddison as he curled a free-kick past David Raya.

Leicester continued to pressurise, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall hitting a shot wide having dispossessed Christian Norgaard, and James Justin being denied by Raya just before the interval.

Things continued where they had left off at the start of the second half as Maddison had a shot saved by Raya, and Iheanacho advanced from the halfway line into the box and tried a chip that hit the outside of the post.

Brentford then brought two decent stops out of Schmeichel, the Dane tipping a Pontus Jansson header over and blocking Mbeumo’s nodded effort.

Applause rang around the ground as Rodgers replaced Castagne with Jonny Evans, another man returning to action for the first time in three months.

Either side of that, Jensen and Ivan Toney sent attempts over the Leicester bar, and Brentford then reduced the deficit in the 85th minute as Wissa cracked a shot in.

Schmeichel subsequently dealt with a Tariqe Fosu effort as Brentford searched in vain for an equaliser, and Barnes then sent an effort wide before the final whistle confirmed Leicester as victors.

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PARTEY, LACAZETTE ON TARGET AS ARSENAL BEAT LEICESTER TO CLIMB TO TOP FOUR

Goals in either half by Thomas Partey and Alexandre Lacazette helped Arsenal beat Leicester City 2-0 to reclaim fourth place.

The opening goal came in the 11th minute, Partey heading in Gabriel Martinelli’s corner at the near post.

Harvey Barnes twice tested Aaron Ramsdale before half-time, firstly smothering the winger’s shot before superbly tipping away his close-range header.

After Caglar Soyuncu was adjudged to have handled another Partey header following a VAR review, Lacazette powered in a penalty to double Arsenal’s lead on 59 minutes.

Substitute Emile Smith Rowe was denied by Kasper Schmeichel late on as Arsenal recorded a fifth straight league victory.

The Gunners now have 51 points, one more than fifth-placed Man Utd, who have played three matches more.

Leicester drop to 12th with 33 points.