It happened exactly as Brendan Rodgers predicted. Thirty-eight days after their last competitive game, Leicester made light work of an MK Dons side with bigger battles to fight as they progressed to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup thanks to goals from Youri Tielemens, Ayoze Pérez and Jamie Vardy.
An emphatic victory over a relegation-battling Ligue 1 side may not be the most important of his managerial career, but after their terrible start to the season, Rodgers will understand its importance. A sizable contingent of away fans who had made the short trip on the M1 and packed their ending here certainly went home happy, with some even predicting that Leicester could be on their way to Wembley again after their FA Cup triumph there. 18 months ago. “We go into all the cup competitions thinking we have a chance,” admitted Leicester assistant manager Chris Davies. “It’s about trying to build momentum now before the next round.”
With four wins in their last five matches before the break, Rodgers was clearly hoping his players could pick up where they left off by selecting a strong squad that included five World Cup representatives from their country in their starting line-up. , although there is no sign of Englishman James Maddison.
In the absence of goalkeeper Dean Lewington while undergoing surgery for a hamstring injury, it was Bradley Johnson in the opposing dugout instead as the former Leeds and Norwich midfielder removed from the side that beat Portsmouth 2-0 at the weekend.
MK Dons’ five-man defense managed to hold on for nearly 20 minutes against concerted pressure from Leicester from the kick-off. However, Tielemens was on hand to drive home after Jamie Cumming was saved to deny a smart shot from Vardy following a cross from Harvey Barnes, the stray ball falling directly on the Belgian. A momentary lapse in concentration from compatriot Wout Faes almost gifted the hosts with an equalizer when the defender missed his clearance and then appeared to bring down Daniel Harvey, only for referee Andre Marriner to call off the calls.
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Adams double sees Saints progress
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Che Adams scored twice as Southampton scored Nathan Jones’ first home game as manager by advancing to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with an unconvincing 2-1 win over Lincoln.
Top scorer Adams struck either side of halftime to spare the Saints from blushing after the Imps threatened to upset after Gavin Bazunu’s first own goal.
The lackluster hosts labored for much of a forgettable fourth-round tie in sparsely populated St Mary’s, leaving Jones with plenty to ponder as he plots a Premier League survival mission.
Adams’ winner – his eighth goal of the season – came 16 minutes from time, averting the risk of a penalty shootout, which the Saints demanded to sneak past third tier Sheffield on Wednesday in the round previous.
Lincoln, who sit 14th in Sky Bet League One and beat Championship Bristol City in the third round, acquitted himself well and will likely leave the South Coast feeling aggrieved as replays suggested Adams’ equalizer in the 25th minute was offside.
Saints substitute Samuel Edozie squandered a golden chance to secure the result in injury time when he somehow fired wide from an open goal, while match-winner Adams should have netted a hat-trick with another excellent opening.
Less than 60 seconds later and the ball was in the net at the other end after a sumptuous control to knock down a cross from Luke Thomas followed by a brilliant curling finish from Pérez. Tennai Watson then squandered a golden chance to pull one back on the stroke of halftime when he fired his shot over the bar.
Yet any faint hope of a comeback was immediately extinguished after the break when Vardy finished off a brilliant cross from Timothy Castagne with a deft header.
Having managed just one Premier League so far this campaign, it was a welcome return to form for the 35-year-old who signed a contract extension for a further season in August. Whether that can take another European tour will depend on which side of Rodgers maintains that kind of form. But, as any Leicester fan will tell you, strange things have happened
