Leicester City vs Huddersfield Town. Sky Bet Championship.
The King Power StadiumAttendance30,407.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Leicester City and Huddersfield Town at the King Power Stadium on New Year's Day | Tom Cannon scores two goals, with Ricardo Pereira and Stephy Mavididi netting one each in another Foxes win
Monday 1 January 2024 19:13, UK
Tom Cannon scored twice on his full Leicester debut as Enzo Maresca's side strengthened their lead at the top of the Championship with a 4-1 victory over Huddersfield.
The result extended their unbeaten run to 10 games as Leicester aim to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking. They now have a 10-point lead ahead of Ipswich.
It was a game of few chances in the first half, but Cannon opened the scoring five minutes before half-time with his first goal for the club.
James Justin's cross into the 18-yard box was flicked on by Ricardo Pereira and Cannon hit the ball first time to drive it past Lee Nicholls in the Huddersfield goal.
Leicester signed the 21-year-old Cannon from Everton on deadline day last summer, even though the player was carrying a stress fracture in his back.
Maresca went ahead with the deal regardless, saying Cannon was a player for the future. He only made his debut as a substitute three weeks ago against Plymouth.
But with Leicester short on forwards, he was given his chance to start. Jamie Vardy was still missing through injury, and Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho were not named in the squad, with both due to be playing in the Africa Cup of Nations later this month.
Cannon made the most of his opportunity, and he added to his first goal with a second after the break.
Leicester went two up after 47 minutes when Abdul Fatawu found Justin who swung in a cross which was met by captain Pereira, whose header found the far corner.
Cannon scored again in the 61st minute when he collected a through ball from Harry Winks. The Leicester forward held off a challenge from Huddersfield defender Tom Lees before placing his shot past Nicholls.
But Maresca's side appeared to lose focus after that, and Huddersfield pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute.
Lees met a corner from Sorba Thomas, and Huddersfield captain Michal Helik prodded the ball in from inside the six-yard box.
Darren Moore's side then came close to scoring a second when Ben Wiles' shot was deflected for a corner.
With 20 minutes left, Jack Rudoni forced Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen into a save.
But Leicester restored their three-goal lead when Huddersfield substitute Loick Ayina fouled Stephy Mavididi 20 yards from goal. Mavididi took the free-kick himself and bent it through a gap in the Huddersfield wall and saw his shot find the net via the inside of the near post.
Pereira might have made it five for Leicester with three minutes left, but he swept a shot over the bar after being set up by substitute Marc Albrighton.
Huddersfield remain four points above the relegation zone.
Leicester's Enzo Maresca:
"It hasn't been easy for Tom, he was two or three months out with the injury, then we'd been winning games with Jamie Vardy, Kelechi Iheanacho and Patson Daka.
"Tom's had to wait for his chance and, yes he scored two goals. But when you don't play games, and suddenly you get your chance, everyone is expecting big things. But it's difficult to do those things.
"I told him to 'just go out there, and don't think it's your first time and you need to show people, or me, that you're good. Because if you're here, we think you're good enough. Just enjoy it'.
"It's not easy, but he gave everything along with the whole team."
"I think if you ask any striker in the world, they would want to learn something from Jamie Vardy. But if Tom's 50 per cent as good as Jamie, then I'll be happy."
Huddersfield's Darren Moore:
"We were beaten by the better side on the day, they're top of the league for a reason - the players can't feel any disgrace for their performance.
"The second goal was disappointing for me as that took the game away from us.
"At 3-1, we had some wonderful opportunities, if we'd taken them then it might've been a different end to the game.
"That's credit to how we set up and how we go about games.
"From a mental aspect, we have that endeavour not to give up and show commitment. That's really important and we did get back into the game.
"But when they scored the fourth goal, that was it for the game. But Michal has scored seven goals as a centre-back, but if you ask him, he'd rather have the clean sheets and the wins.
"We feel more now that we are fitter and more robust."
