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Leicester City attacker, Kelechi Iheanacho fired blanks, on an evening Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi and Ademola Lookman did not see action for The Foxes, who dumped Frank Ogochukwu Onyeka’s Brentford Town.
Megasportsarena.com reports that, despite the absences of Ndidi and Lookman due to fitness issues, Leicester held their own all the way, as goals from Timothy Castagne and James Maddison gave Leicester a 2-1 home win over Brentford.
Onyeka was benched all evening long by the visitors, while Iheanacho was replaced in the 86th minute of play at King Power Stadium, as Leicester romped to a win that lifts them into the top half of the Premier League table.
Castagne made a dream return after nearly three months out injured as he scored Leicester’s opener with a thunderous strike (20) from just outside the box that arrowed into the top-right corner.
Thirteen minutes later, Maddison scored a wonderful curling 25-yard free-kick that beat Brentford goalkeeper David Raya in the opposite top corner.
Iheanacho should have made it 3-0 seven minutes into the second half but his chipped effort, when one-versus-one with Raya, clipped the outside of the post.
Brentford, who were without Christian Eriksen because of coronavirus, were much improved in the second half and Leicester needed their goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel to rescue them with a couple of fine saves in the space of six minutes.
First the skipper acrobatically tipped over Pontus Jansson’s header (54) before denying Bryan Mbeumo’s header (60) from point-blank range.
Castagne was one of four changes from the defeat away to Stade Rennes of France, as Caglar Soyuncu, James Maddison and Nampalys Mendy came in for Wesley Fofana, Marc Albrighton and Ndidi.
However, Castagne lasted 64 minutes and was replaced by another defender making his return from injury in Jonny Evans, who came on for his first appearance since December 12.
Schmeichel was eventually beaten but it needed a great strike from Wissa to break his resistance.
The goalkeeper appeared to be injured for the final few minutes as Brentford pushed for an equaliser but the away side could not find the goal that would have stretched their unbeaten run to three games.
Onyeka’s side, however, set up a nervy finish after Yoane Wissa hammered home from outside the box in the 85th minute, but The Foxes held on to move up to 10th and level on points with Aston Villa, who are above them on goal difference.
The defeat sees Onyeka’s team remain eight points above the relegation zone with 17th-placed Watford having a game in hand on them, while 18th-placed Burnley have three games in hand on The Bees.
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