leicester city
Leicester City player ratings as Patson Daka leads Stoke rout
Leicester City march on towards the Championship title with a 5-0 away thrashing of Stoke.
A double for Patson Daka, two from Jamie Vardy and one for Kasey McAteer was reward for complete domination at the bet365 Stadium.
“We’ll never play you again,” sang the 2,604 in the away end as they bounced their way through to full-time in an otherwise nearly empty ground. Sixteen games to go until the end of the season and the rest of the division probably can’t wait to see the back of them.
Abdul Fatawu had the first sighter when he took a pass from Harry Winks down the inside right and slipped into space to whip a shot narrowly past the far post. Jack Bonham scooped a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall header out of the top right corner and Daka couldn’t get a touch on a deep cross from Abdul Fatawu.
The breakthrough came soon enough, following a controversial free-kick as Mehdi Leris caught Stephy Mavididi on his follow through from playing a pass. Leicester then took advantage of diabolical defending, with Dewsbury-Hall crossing for Fatawu to head across goal and Daka waiting unmarked to tap in.
It was quickly two as Leicester enjoyed space in front of the Stoke box and McAteer’s shot was touched helpfully past a wrong-footed Bonham by Wilmot.
Stoke’s first-half chances were limited to a snap-shot from Tyrese Campbell, saved by Mads Hermansen’s foot.
Stoke changed their shape at half-time but committing more men forward only left more gaps behind them and Leicester would show no mercy.
Daka stroked home the third from a penalty after Wout Faes broke forward from centre-back and was clumsily pushed to the ground by Jordan Thompson. It was four when sub Jamie Vardy finished off a swift counter-attack, with Harry Winks finding James Justin to cross.
Mads Hermansen and James Justin combined underneath their own bar to keep out efforts from Bae Junho and Ben Wilmot.
And it was Leicester who got the next in the eighth minute of injury time when Michael Rose fouled Dewsbury-Hall and Vardy whacked home the resultant penalty.
Here are the ratings from the bet365 Stadium:
Abdul Fatawu: Made it a hard day for stand-in Stoke left-back Jordan Thompson with a willingness to run with the ball and take early chances to cross or shoot. 9
Patson Daka: Nine goal involvements in eight games now, five goals and three assists. A tap in and put Leicester in control after early patience. No messing with penalty. 9
Dewsbury-Hall: Second player in the Championship to double figures for both goals and assists, following Adam Armstrong. Looks a class above this level. 8
Hermansen: 8
Faes: 8
Doyle: 8
Mavididi: 8
Periera: 8
Vestergaard: 8
McAteer: 8
Substitutes
Praet (for McAteer, 46): 8
Nelson (for Vestergaard, 46): 8
Vardy (for Daka, 70): 8
Justin (for Mavididi, 70): 8
Not used: Stolarczyk, Justin, Coady, Vardy, Choudhury, Cannon, Akgun.
WHAT THE FANS SAID
Scott Bird: PLAYING FOOTBALL THE ENZO WAYYYY
Ryan: Only 5 goals? Embarrassing
LM10: Such boring football, nowhere near a good performance
Liam G: Good win and no complaints but why is Vardy getting minutes ahead of Cannon , love Vards but we need to get Cannon going as he is the striker signed for the future . Anyway good wn !
Babayaga: Beautiful, would love for Daka to get his hattrick but we move onto the next one. Brilliant day for GOAT as well.
King Con91: Boring football apparently are these fans real
UP NEXT
Leicester take on Watford at Vicarage Road next Saturday
