Could we be witnessing the second ‘Great Escape’ in Leicester City’s Premier League history?
It was eight years ago when Leicester scrambled to safety under Nigel Pearson, and this result will have provided Dean Smith with optimism that another rescue mission is in sight.
All the terrible statistics which have been hurled in their direction were obliterated after a first win since February, lifting the club out of the relegation zone on goal difference. Leicester remain deep in trouble, and there will undoubtedly be many twists and turns to come, but Timothy Castagne’s winning goal could prove to be a big turning point in a challenging season.
With their best player, James Maddison, absent through illness, the home team had to produce a battling performance that has been sorely lacking this season. Players sidelined under Brendan Rodgers, including Caglar Soyuncu and Boubakary Soumare, were inspired as Wolves suffered a reminder that their own relegation fears are not over yet.
There were many other positives for Smith to take, ahead of a potentially pivotal trip to Leeds on Tuesday night.
“The players haven’t won a game for such a long time so this will be a huge relief for them,” said Smith. “People have questioned our spirit and character because of where we are in the league, but it was there to see today. We’re out of the bottom three but we haven’t done anything yet. At the moment this has lifted us out but the most important thing is that we’re out on the last day of the season.”
It is all about momentum at this late stage, and when Leicester survived in 2015 they won seven of their last nine matches. The psychological lift this could provide Smith’s players, after such a poor run of results, could be significant.
Despite this win, there are still problems to solve. Leicester are the only team in Europe’s top five leagues not to have kept a clean sheet since the World Cup.
They fell behind in calamitous fashion when a casual Youri Tielemans was dispossessed by Mario Lemina and Matheus Cunha seized on the loose ball before driving a shot into the corner.
Leicester could have buckled under the pressure, with tension building in the stands, but were rewarded with a route back into the game when Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa clumsily brought down Jamie Vardy in the area ten minutes before half-time. Kelechi Iheanacho put away the penalty and the anxiety was lifted.
Leicester were now transformed and the crucial breakthrough came 14 minutes from time. Soumare released Victor Kristiansen down the left and the Dane’s low cross found Castagne, who produced a fine finish.
Wolves are only six points above the bottom three, but head coach Julen Lopetegui does not regard that as a positive.
“This is the worst message we can send to the players. It’s a very dangerous message because I know how football is and how the Premier League is,” he said.
“Until you have achieved one goal you have not done anything yet. We are very clear with this message for the players, they know.”