KELECHI IHEANACHO bagged his first goal since his £25million summer move from Manchester City, before setting up Islam Slimani for Leicester’s second.
And Riyad Mahrez came off the bench to finish off Thomas Christiansen’s men with a brilliant solo effort for the Foxes third as the home side cruised into the quarter finals. Unfortunately for Craig Shakespeare, the man who signed Iheanacho, the 21-year-old Nigerian finally came good in his seventh Foxes appearance – just too late to keep him in a job!
However it could turn out to be a useful marker to put down with Frenchman Claude Puel’s appointment rumoured to be imminent.
If the former Southampton man and bookies’ favourite is confirmed as Leicester’s new boss in the next 24 hours he can start planning for a quarter final in the competition he reached the final with last season with Saints.
The last time Leeds visited Leicester in this competition they hit the Foxes for six and Robbie Keane helped himself to a hat-trick. That 6-0 drubbing 16 years ago at Filbert Street remains City’s biggest post-war home defeat in any competition - one of many low points in a dismal season which ended with Leicester rock bottom of the Premier League and relegated.
Peter Taylor was sacked in September that year after a disastrous start and replaced by Dave Bassett. Sixteen years on, Leicester are on the brink of appointing another new boss with vice-chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhnanaprabha, using his programme notes to thank the "universally popular" Craig Shakespeare for the “contribution he made to the most successful period in the Club’s history.”
Before adding: "but we need to keep the club moving forward, consistent with the long-term expectations of our supporters and the board, and our focus now is on appointing the right candidate ... it's an appointment we'd clearly like to make as soon as possible but we won't compromise our goals in haste." Caretaker boss Michael Appleton followed up Saturday’s 2-1 win at Swansea with another win but had to come from behind to do so after Leeds took the lead after 27 minutes with a stunning strike from Spanish skipper Pablo Hernadez.
Kemar Roofe supplied the ball from the right flank and Hernandez’s quick feet saw him skip by Albrighton and King before crashing a stunning shot in off the underside of Ben Hamer’s crossbar from 20 yards.
However Leeds lasted just three minutes before Iheanacho brought them crashing back to earth with his first goal since his big money summer move from Manchester City.
Goalkeeper Felix Wiedwald used his feet to block Slimani at the edge of the box and Iheanacho looked to have missed his initial chance. However with the groans of the crowd in his ears he sidestepped Mateusz Klich before drilling his shot low into the far corner of the Leeds net from 22 yards.
Demarai Gray smacked the crossbar just before half time and Slimani headed over from four yards after the break.
But the Algerian made amends when he accepted a gift from Iheanacho to score from close range to put Leicester in front.
Mahrez made sure with a third two minutes from the end with a brilliant solo run before curling his shot beyond Wiedwald from the edge of the box.
From The Sun
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