This may well be the vital victory that saves Everton from a long fight against relegation.

Francis Jeffers, back after five months of injury trouble, scored early on - and Kevin Campbell made it two before the break.

That really should have been it against a Leicester side who were dreadful for all but the final 15 minutes.

Foxes boss Peter Taylor hauled off three men at the break and he was not short of candidates to be substituted among a team full of near non-starters.

But Everton were troubled by nerves, and when Dean Sturridge pulled a goal back near panic set in - and it needed bravery and commitment for the home side to secure three points to pull them away from the drop zone.

Jeffers made a surprise return to the starting line-up for the first time since an ankle injury ruled him out in September, Duncan Ferguson having failed a fitness test on his shoulder.

On eight minutes Jeffers marked his return with an inspirational goal after Thomas Gravesen had forced his way through midfield and pushed the ball wide to the youngster.

Jeffers raced into the box and fought off Gary Rowett and goalkeeper Simon Royce before drilling the ball into the net at the second attempt.

Leicester were all at sea, letting players run through them in midfield and failing to even mark properly.

It was not until the 22nd minute that Leicester managed a shot, which came from on-loan Junior Lewis and flew past Paul Gerrard's right post.

David Weir nodded a pass down for Campbell in the box, and only Gary Rowett's quick intervention stopped the big striker.

Seconds later it was Richard Gough heading back across goal, this time for Steve Watson whose close-range header was turned over by Royce.

Michael Ball was booked for a foul on Sturridge on 30 minutes, and seconds later Muzzy Izzet rose to send a Gerry Taggart cross over the bar from six yards.

Richard Gough, in the wars against Leeds in midweek when he cut his right eye, limped out of the action on 35 minutes with a groin strain - and David Unsworth took over in defence with Weir given the captain's armband.

Leicester got neither wing-back - Steve Guppy or Andy Impey - down their lines, and Sturridge was all on his own and outnumbered three to one up front for long spells in the opening hour.

It gave Everton defenders time to add their weight to attacks, and two minutes from the break Weir strolled into midfield and laid a simple through ball into Campbell's path.

There was no opposition as he turned to waltz into the box and stroke the ball past Royce.

Taylor's half-time surgery saw him abandon the back five, take off Taggart and push Frank Sinclair into midfield. Roberto Mancini took from Matthew Jones and played as a support striker, while Darren Eadie replaced Guppy.

But all those changes still failed to produce much to seriously worry Everton's back line until the last frantic quarter-hour.

Unsworth was next to be booked for a 58th-minute foul on Sturridge, and there was finally some sign of life from Leicester when Impey chased Gary Naysmith on a left-wing run and scythed him to the ground, earning another booking.

It could easily have been 3-0 soon afterwards when Royce was forced to back-pedal desperately to pull down a 40-yard shot from Scot Gemmill after 64 minutes.

Two minutes later, Leicester finally produced something when they wasted a good chance as Sturridge's downward header from Robbie Savage's cross bounced a foot wide of a post.

Then Mancini's clever ball inside Watson sent Eadie scampering away, and his angled drive went inches wide of the far post on 72 minutes.

Leicester finally got one back on 78 minutes when another fine Mancini pass set up Rowett, whose shot was palmed away by Gerrard for Sturridge to force home.

From then on it was desperate defending for Everton, as Leicester could sense there was still something left for them.

Matt Elliott was thrown up front, and the predictable long-ball barrage from Leicester created panic where there had been calm and control.

But somehow Everton hung on to their prize and they were able to claw themselves those inches nearer safety.

Teams:

Everton: Gerrard, Steve Watson, Naysmith, Ball, Gough (Unsworth 36), Weir, Hughes (Moore 80), Gemmill, Gravesen, Jeffers (Cadamarteri 83), Campbell.

Subs Not Used: Myhre, Tal.

Booked: Gemmill, Unsworth, Moore.

Goals: Jeffers 8, Campbell 43.

Leicester: Royce, Rowett, Elliott, Taggart (Sinclair 45), Impey, Jones (Mancini 45), Robbie Savage, Izzet, Lewis, Guppy (Eadie 45), Sturridge.

Subs Not Used: Benjamin, Price.

Booked: Impey, Rowett.

Goals: Sturridge 79.

Att: 30,409

Ref: R Styles (Waterlooville).