Richarlison to the rescue as Lampard breathes a little easier

Leicester looked set to pile the pressure on the Toffees until Brazilian's last-gasp equaliser

Right on time: Everton's Richarlison, right, reacts after scoring his side's late equaliser against Leicester City at Goodison Park. Photo: AP Photo/Jon Super

Everton 1 Leicester 1 

Everton snatched a vital point to ease their Premier League relegation worries thanks to Richarlison's last-gasp equaliser at Goodison Park. Just as Leicester - who had led through Harvey Barnes' fifth minute goal - thought they had done enough to win the game, the Brazilian scuffed a close range shot into the corner of the net from sub Dele Alli's pass.

With tough games at title-chasing Liverpool and then Chelsea coming up, it was crucial that Frank Lampard's battlers took something out of this fixture.

And the hard-earned draw moved them four points clear of third-from-bottom Burnley who face back-to-back home games against Southampton on Thursday night and Wolves on Sunday.

Lampard had called on his players to reproduce the same spirit, controlled aggression and physical output they had shown in their 1-0 win over Manchester United in their last game in a bid to record back-to-back victories for the first time since September.

He got that but the there was a real lack of quality about much of Everton's play with Brendan Rodgers' team completely outplaying them in the first half when they could consider themselves unlucky to be only one up at the break.

There were ominous signs for the home side when it took a last-ditch tackle by Seamus Coleman to prevent Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from putting the Foxes ahead in the very first minute.

Everton's relief was short-lived however with Leicester carving them open again four minutes later when Barnes tapped home from inside the six-yard box after a superb move down the right started by Kasper Schmeichel's well-directed pass out from his own penalty area.

James Maddison should have made it two after more slick inter-passing by the visitors but he aimed a close-range effort straight at Jordan Pickford.

Despite Leicester's dominance, Everton should have equalised with their first attack after 16 minutes when Richarlison fired wide from Anthony Gordon's cross.

Everton gradually worked themselves into the game and Richarlison and a Demarai Gray threatened with a header and shot respectively but Leicester remained firmly in control at the break.

No doubt after a few choice words from Lampard, Everton upped the tempo after the break, taking the game to their opponents for the first time.

Lampard sent Dele Alli to improve their creativity just before the hour mark but it took until the 67th minute for them to mange a shot on target when Richarlison's effort was saved by Schmeichel.

That drew an immediate response from Leicester with Maddison's drive forcing a fine save out of Pickford.

Everton increased the pressure towards the end with Yerry Mina, Richarlison and sub Saloman all squandering decent headed chances anmd Coleman seeing a goal-bound shot blocked and a damaging defeat looked on the cards until Richarlison popped up with his last-ditch strike.

The goal sparked wild scenes of celebration around the stadium but in contrast some of Leicester's players threw themselves to the ground in utter dismay.

Everton (4-3-3): Pickford 6; Coleman 7, Mina 6, Godfrey 6, Mykolenko 7; Allan 5 (Alli 57, 5), Delph 5, Iwobi 7; Gordon 7, Richarlison 5, Gray 5 (Rondon 66, 5).

Subs not used: Begovic, Kenny, Holgate, Keane, Doucoure, Gomes, Van De Beek, Rondon.

Leicester (4-1-4-1): Schmeicel 7; Pereira 7, Fofana 7, Evans 8, Castagne 6; Mendy 7 Amartey 83, 5); Barnes 6 (Lookman 66, 5), Tielemans 6, Dewsbury-Hall 9, Maddison 7; Iheanacho 6 (Daka 79, 5).

Subs not used: Justin, Albrighton, Soyuncu, Ward, Perez, Choudhury.

Referee: David Coote.