An Ian Marshall header in first-half stoppage time means Coventry boss Gordon
Strachan must endure another anxious week.
The big centre-forward proved Leicester's match-winner for the second time in
four days as he condemned Coventry to their third defeat in a row.
The Sky Blues have still not managed to scramble to Premiership safety but
Marshall's goal wrapped up a seven-point week for Martin O'Neill's rejuvenated
team.
Leicester seem to have vanquished their springtime loss of form and are
finishing the season with some style. One reason is the return to full fitness
of Emile Heskey.
Heskey, dogged by a back injury in recent weeks, looked back to his best and
was a constant thorn in Coventry's side, celebrating his recall to the full
England squad with a series of powerful charges as the Foxes heaped on the
pressure.
Barry Quinn and David Burrows were both booked as Coventry searched for ways
to contain him in the first half.
It was Heskey foraging down the right who created the first chance of the game
but his cross was headed wide by Marshall.
The industrious Neil Lennon found Heskey, again on the right, and this time
Marshall chose to pull the ball down on his chest. He did so brilliantly only to
screw his shot wide from 12 yards.
The big centre-forward, who won the game for Leicester at Liverpool in midweek
with a late goal, also released Tony Cottee with a perfect header.
Cottee, clean through in an inside left channel, took the ball in his stride
but pulled his shot into the side-netting.
Steve Guppy was close to joining Heskey in Keegan's England squad this week
and he showed why with a string of teasing crosses and corners from both wings
in the first half.
Keegan admitted Guppy was very much in his thoughts as he announced an
experimental England squad for the trip to Hungary and if his form persists he
may be force to call him up.
Matt Elliott headed just over from a corner and Robbie Savage couldn't turn a
left-wing cross from Guppy onto the target, under pressure from defenders.
Guppy, who scored a dramatic equaliser at Chelsea last weekend, almost
repeated the trick from the opposite wing.
At Stamford Bridge he cut in from the left and curled the ball into the corner
with his right foot but at Filbert Street he darted in from the left and
unleashed a swerving effort which almost crept inside Magnus Hedman's right-hand
upright.
In the second half he tried it again with his right foot but was just wide.
It was no surprise when Marshall broke the deadlock from a Guppy corner in the
final seconds of the first half.
The wing-back delivered another accurate flag-kick from the Leicester left and
Marshall rose unchallenged to power a header past Hedman.
Strachan was criticised last weekend for leaving an injured Hedman to struggle
on against Middlesbrough as the Sky Blues slid to defeat.
Hedman, still obviously troubled by the hip injury and unable to kick, had no
chance as the ball whistled past him into the net.
Strachan watched the first half from the stands but his second-half appearance
on the touchline sparked a little life from his lacklustre team.
Coventry showed more willingness to attack after the break but the home team
always seemed in control.
Sub Trond Soltvedt came closest to equalising with a low drive which drifted
across the face of goal and wide.
Teams:
Leicester: Keller, Sinclair, Elliott, Kaamark, Impey,
Lennon (Gunnlaugsson 90), Savage, Guppy, Marshall (Fenton 87),
Cottee (Campbell 69), Heskey.
Subs Not Used: Miller, Arphexad.
Booked: Elliott.
Goals: Marshall 45.
Coventry: Hedman, Shaw, Williams, Breen, Burrows,
Telfer (Hall 46), Boateng, Clement (Soltvedt 74), Quinn,
Aloisi (Gioacchino 60), Huckerby.
Subs Not Used: Edworthy, Kirkland.
Booked: Quinn, Burrows, Huckerby, Shaw.
Att: 20,224
Ref: G Barber (Pyrford).
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