Leicester 1-2 West Brom: Baggies win at the King Power

By Simeon Gholam

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Matt Phillips bagged the winner for West Brom as they beat Leicester 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Baggies winger capitalised on a poor error by Danny Drinkwater to net with 18 minutes to go at the King Power Stadium.

Jamie Redknapp and Emile Heskey look at Leicester's upcoming fixtures and discuss the possibility of them slipping into a relegation battle

James Morrison had initially put West Brom ahead earlier in the second half before they were quickly pegged back by the head of Islam Slimani.

But West Brom would go on to find the winner, as they claimed three points for the first time in six games to climb above Leicester and into 11th in the table.

Image: Phillips (right) hit the winner for West Brom

It was lively at the King Power at kick-off, but the fans in all four corners of the ground were soon quietened by what was an event-free first 45 minutes.

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Both sides generally set up to not have the ball, and it was Leicester who were forced to dominate possession as West Brom looked to sit deep and play on the counter.

West Brom boss Tony Pulis says his side put in a very good performance

Jamie Vardy was back on the bench for Leicester, but the attacking duo put out by Claudio Ranieri in Slimani and Shinji Okazaki barely had a look-in while Salomon Rondon was equally isolated at the other end for West Brom.

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The game did spring into life almost immediately after the break, however, and after so long without either side really looking like scoring, there were two goals in almost as many minutes.

Image: West Bromwich Albion's Jonny Evans in action

First, West Brom took the lead after 52 minutes via Morrison, who headed home on his first Premier League start since January after Phillips' cross had deflected into his path. 

And just three minutes later the game was level, as Leicester repeated the same trick at the other end, Riyad Mahrez swinging one onto the head of Slimani, which the Algerian striker duly nodded past Ben Foster.

Darren Fletcher says it was West Brom's intention to come and win at Leicester

Leicester immediately upped the ante in search for a goal that would have put them in front, but it was West Brom who struck next in the 72nd minute thanks to a disastrous error from Drinkwater.

Image: Islam Slimani (left) scored Leicester's only goal of the game

His attempt at a backwards pass on halfway served only to feed Phillips in behind, who duly ran on before finishing coolly past Ron-Robert Zieler, who was in for the injured Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal.

The Foxes pushed for an equaliser again, but their efforts were in vain and their run of 20 Premier League home games without defeat finally came to an end to leave them 14th in the table after just three wins from their first 11.

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri says his side need to recharge their batteries

Player ratings:

Leicester: Zieler (5), Simpson (5), Huth (5), Morgan (5), Fuchs (5), Mahrez (6), Drinkwater (4), King (5), Musa (6), Okazaki (4), Slimani (7)

Subs: Vardy (5), Gray (5), Ulloa (n/a)

West Brom: Foster (6), Dawson (6), McAuley (6), Evans (6), Nyom (6), Yacob (7), Fletcher (6), Brunt (6), Morrison (7), Phillips (8), Rondon (6) 

Subs: Gardner (n/a), Robson-Kanu (n/a)

Man of the match: Matt Phillips

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