Mark Lawrenson predicts Everton vs Leicester City result amid ‘really clever’ verdict
Mark Lawrenson has predicted more misery for Everton with a defeat at Leicester City when they travel to the King Power on Monday (1 May).
The Toffees are already two points and two places off safety after the meek surrender to Newcastle in the 4-1 defeat on Thursday night, but it isn’t tipped to get any better next time out.
The former Liverpool defender has gone for a 2-1 win for Dean Smith’s side which would see them climb four points away from Sean Dyche’s embattled team.
In his predictions column for Paddy Power Lawrenson said: “I thought Leicester were really clever the other night against Leeds in how they used Jamie Vardy.
“They brought him in with about 20 minutes left when Leeds were tiring because of their enormous work rate. To be quite honest with you, Leicester could have won that quite comfortably and they were the better team.
“Everton are difficult to beat but just don’t look like scoring. Leicester 2-1 Everton.“
Grim
After the capitulation against Newcastle it seems charitable to say that the Toffees are “difficult to beat” because that is the opposite of what they were at Goodison Park.
It was never going to be easy, with Eddie Howe’s men looking likely to be a Champions League side next season, but the lack of a response to the fans’ support was alarming.
There appeared to an open-door policy down the right side of the home defence for most of the night, none more so than when Alexander Isak ran past numerous Toffees players, some more than once, to lay on the fourth for Jacob Murphy.
Leicester have been anything but a good team themselves for weeks, and despite probably having the better of the game at Elland Road they couldn’t beat a similarly struggling side there.
So with just a point separating Everton and the Foxes it goes without saying how crucial this game is, but there will need to be a major reaction from Dyche and his players, of which there hasn’t been enough for a while now.
A rare away with at the King Power at the tail-end of last season helped Frank Lampard’s side stay up, and surely the same again is going to be required for a late reprieve.