Express & Star

Leicester City 1 West Brom 2 - Report

Matt Phillips' first goal for Albion ended Leicester's 20-match unbeaten home record in the league after Islam Slimani had earlier cancelled out James Morrison's header, reports Matt Wilson from the King Power Stadium.

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Analysis

The last time Leicester lost a home game in the Premier League was September 26, 2015, when Arsenal stunned them 5-2.

More than a year later, it was the Baggies who stunned the champions at the King Power Stadium, ending the impressive run that took Claudio Ranieri's team to the title last season.

Albion had only managed to score more than one goal in one of their last 20 league games, but they had bagged two in each of their last three meetings with the Foxes, and they did so again tonight.

It was a timely victory. Before kick-off the Baggies were teetering above the bottom three on goal-difference alone, but these three points shoot them up to 11th with inviting fixtures against Burnley and Hull to come after the international break.

Leicester lost their talismanic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to a broken hand in midweek, but Albion were forced to play without the suspended James McClean and Nacer Chadli because of minor knee surgery.

Chadli had been involved in six of Albion's last eight games, but the Baggies didn't miss him.

James Morrison was given his first Premier League start since January, and not only did open the scoring, but he gave Tony Pulis's side some much-needed composure on the ball.

He wasn't the only Albion midfielder who impressed. Matt Phillips made his intentions clear early on with a rasping low drive that Ron-Robert Zieler, standing in for the injured Kasper Schmeichel, did well to fingertip around the post.

Chris Brunt looked to play forward as often as he could and Darren Fletcher, who has been woefully off form recently, had one of his best games of the season.

Albion shaded the first half and had the best opportunities, so when they took the lead through Morrison's header in the 52nd minute, it was well deserved. But that lead lasted just three minutes.

At the back, Gareth McAuley was in imperious form, but Allan Nyom looked shaky up against Riyad Mahrez and it was the Algerian's jink inside that led to the equaliser.

His cross to the back post reached an unmarked Islam Slimani, and the £29million signing - who was an Albion target in the summer - made no mistake with his header.

Albion's back-line raised their arms for offside but replays confirmed the Algerian was onside, just.

The goal gave the Foxes a short-lived shot in the arm, but they were not at their best, and made too many mistakes in midfield.

The most costly came when Danny Drinkwater miscued his back-pass, allowing Phillips to run on to the ball and bear down on Zieler one-on-one.

The summer signing hadn't scored for the Baggies before today, but he was coolness personified in the penalty area, delicately lifting the ball over the Leicester keeper.

As Tony Pulis threw on Craig Gardner to shore things up, Claudio Ranieri sent on Leonardo Ulloa for Robert Huth, in a last ditch attempt to salvage a point.

Leicester huffed and puffed but the Baggies defence, sensing an important three points, stood firm to the late onslaught.

Key moments

03 Matt Phillips nearly scores after stealing the ball off Andy King, but it's a great fingertip save from Ron-Robert Zieler.

52 GOAL ALBION - James Morrison diverts the ball in with his head after Phillips' cross takes a minor deflection off Fuchs

55 GOAL LEICESTER - Riyad Mahrez jinks inside and crosses to a free Islam Slimani at the back post and the Algerian makes no mistake with his header

60 Phillips clears Robert Huth's header off the line

73 GOAL ALBION - Danny Drinkwater miscues a back pass and Matt Phillips races onto it before delicately dinking the ball over Zieler in the Leicester goal

74 It's so nearly 2-2 when Craig Dawson mistimes Drinkwater's cross and sends the ball spinning towards the goal but Ben Foster pounces on it

Man of the match

Matt Phillips - Scored the winner and cleared Robert Huth's header off the line at 1-1, but it was an all-round impressive display from the pacy winger

Position in the table

11th - with 13 points from 11 games

Teams

Leicester City (4-4-2): Zieler, Simpson, Morgan (c), Huth (Ulloa 87), Fuchs, Mahrez, King, Drinkwater, Musa (Gray 67), Slimani, Okazaki (Vardy 45). Unused subs: Hamer (gk), Albrighton, Amartey, Schlupp.

Albion (4-2-3-1): Foster, Dawson, McAuley, Evans, Nyom, Yacob, Fletcher (c), Brunt, Morrison (Robson-Kanu 90), Phillips (Gardner 83), Rondon. Unused subs: Myhill (gk), Galloway, Wilson, Leko, Field.

Referee: Craig Pawson

Attendance: 31,879 (Albion 2,040)

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