Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca’s message was a clear one, as his side showed they are far from finished in the race for promotion.
The Italian coach had seen Leicester’s 14 point gap between themselves and third place eroded over the past six weeks, to the point where they had dropped out of the top two. Friday’s 1-0 defeat at Bristol City, and the reaction of unhappy Leicester fans, did nothing to dispell a nagging sense of implosion.
Maresca had called for ‘collective unity’ from supporters in his programme notes, but afterwards, he made it clear he would not be changing his methods, even though victories are all that matters now.
But, after 20 minutes, it looked as though the recent malaise would be continuing as Leicester suffered a communication breakdown at a Norwich corner and Gabriel Sara was allowed to move at will among the markers and score from close range. That could easily have hit Leicester’s confidence; instead, the goal only served to galvanise them, and they dominated the rest of the game.
Goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Stephy Mavididi – who both found the net in the Championship for the first time since January – put Maresca’s side ahead. Jamie Vardy, a second half substitute, made sure of the points in stoppage time.
The wild celebrations on the touchline summed up Maresca’s relief. But will he be changing his approach to the game in a pressurised run-in to the end of the season? Not a bit of it.
Maresca said: “I think the fans were there, we tried to make them happy by winning the game. I can understand that, for them, it’s the only thing that matters. But I know that sometimes they want us to attack, and be more direct, but it’s never going to happen while I’m here.”
Patson Daka could have been more alert for Sara’s goal, but the comeback began with Wilfred Ndidi’s superb deep cross after 33 minutes which was met by Mavididi who set up Dewsbury-Hall to head the equaliser.
Daka should have made more of a slip by Norwich full-back Jack Stacey – but Leicester took the lead in the 62nd minute when Dewsbury-Hall set up Mavididi who shrugged off Stacey before curling the ball into the far corner. Vardy settled it in the third minute of stoppage time when he pounced after Harry Winks’ shot was blocked.