Livewire Leicester destroyed dreadful Derby with a stunning four-goal blast
inside the opening 15 minutes to rekindle their dreams of European football for
next season.
Martin O'Neill's side produced electrifying football to stun the Rams in an
astonishing East Midlands derby at Pride Park as Derby suffered a Selhurst Park
hangover.
County became the first team to end up on the losing side at Crystal Palace in
the Premiership this season, beaten 3-1 by the Eagles last week.
Boss Jim Smith slammed his side for that defeat, accusing them of being "too
blase" and for a performance which he described as "unforgivable and
unprofessional."
But those stinging, critical words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Derby sunk
to a defeat which deals a huge blow to their own Euro hopes.
The demolition job began after just 85 seconds and all four goals were similar
- each coming from right wing crosses and finished with perfect headers.
And it was England B international Emile Heskey who did most of the damage as
he made one and scored two of the first three goals, taking his tally to nine
for the season.
Leicester's first rapier thrust was finished by Heskey as he rose unmarked and
unchallenged from eight yards to knock Greek international Theo Zagorakis' cross
past Mart Poom.
Then, with just 130 seconds gone on the clock, City doubled their lead with
Heskey turning supplier for Muzzy Izzet to easily beat Estonian international
Poom from close range.
As if Derby had not learnt their lessons from those two goals, it was a case
of deja vu after eight minutes and 25 seconds as the Rams again committed
defensive suicide.
Steve Guppy was this time on hand to whip in a freekick and Heskey delivered
another cool, calculated finish, again from eight yards.
Derby, knowing victory would have seen them move up to sixth in the
Premiership, had suddenly in the space of just under nine minutes handed City
their own European lifeline.
Worse was to come in the 15th minute when Robbie Savage curled the ball in
from deep for leading scorer Ian Marshall to outjump his markers for his 10th of
the season and give City their first four-goal Premiership haul this season.
Heskey spurned a hat-trick opportunity in the 23rd minute after Neil Lennon
had split the all-at-sea Derby defence, but, with only Poom to beat, he drove a
12-yard right foot shot wide of the left hand post.
With only pride at stake for County, they did have two chances to cut the
deficit either side of half-time, both from striker Dean Sturridge.
The first, just seconds before the break, saw the nippy forward thwarted by a
point-blank save from City keeper Kasey Keller, who was then beaten with a
61st-minute stabbed shot from Sturridge, but the woodwork came to his rescue.
Derby at least played with more passion and heart after the break, mainly due
to a change of formation as Smith switched from a 4-4-3 line-up to 3-5-2, giving
his side greater penetration down the wings.
But the City defence coped comfortably with whatever the home side threw at
them, chalking up a clean sheet and in-turn stretching their unbeaten run to
five games.
The win lifts City above Derby into ninth, leaving them just three points
adrift of sixth-placed Blackburn, ensuring the race for the last UEFA Cup places
is almost certain to go down to the wire.
Derby at least managed to avoid the ignominy of their worst defeat of the
season when they were hammered 5-0 at home by Leeds six weeks ago.
But that will hardly be a crumb of comfort for Smith as he continues to watch
his side's season disintegrate over the closing stages.
Teams
Derby: Poom, Rowett, Powell (Burton 73), Van Der Laan (Solis 46),
Sturridge, Wanchope, Bohinen, Laursen, Carsley, Dailly,
Baiano (Delap 45).
Subs Not Used: Hoult, Elliot.
Booked: Sturridge, Wanchope.
Leicester: Keller, Savage, Guppy (Ullathorne 78), Kaamark,
Elliott, Walsh (Cottee 73), Izzet, Lennon, Zagorakis (Fenton 82),
Marshall, Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Wilson.
Goals: Heskey 1, Izzet 2, Heskey 8, Marshall 15.
Att: 29,855
Ref: G S Willard (Worthing).
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