Bournemouth staged a superb second-half comeback to seal an impressive win over Leicester City and turn up the heat on Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers.
Leicester looked in control after Patson Daka’s early opener but failed to capitalise and had no answer to a rousing Bournemouth reply.
Philip Billing thrashed home a superb volley to level the scores before Ryan Christie touched in Dominic Solanke’s knock-down five minutes later to complete the revival.
Jamie Vardy helped inject some urgency into Leicester’s play and went close with a couple of cross-shots, but the good feeling established by Monday’s 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest had long evaporated by the end.
Interim boss Gary O’Neil has not lost any of his five games in charge at Vitality Stadium and, in front of prospective new owner Bill Foley, this performance only boosts his chances of getting the permanent job.
Defeat keeps Leicester mired in 19th with just four points from their opening nine games, while Bournemouth move up to eighth, level on points with Manchester United who play Everton on Sunday.
Scott Parker lost his job as Bournemouth manager after stating publicly that the team needed new players in the wake of the desperate 9-0 defeat at Liverpool in August.
Six weeks on, and five games unbeaten under interim boss O’Neil, this win moves the Cherries two points clear of Liverpool, albeit having played two games more.
O’Neil has brought stability and structure to this Cherries side and has also added a resilience, shown first by a victory from two goals down at Nottingham Forest and then here.
In the first half they lacked a cutting edge and were well marshalled by Leicester, trailing to Daka’s strike and with only Ryan Fredericks’ claims for a penalty to get excited about.
After the break though they were a different proposition, pushing the Foxes back and deservedly equalising, even if Billing’s fine finish was preceded by bad errors from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Wout Faes for Leicester.
Sensing blood against the Premier League’s worst defence, Bournemouth attacked again and Billing was given time to pick out Solanke whose neat header was tucked away by Christie.
It nearly got even better, only for Jaidon Anthony’s late strike on the counter-attack to be ruled out for an offside in the build-up.
A new era beckons under Foley – on this evidence, O’Neil should be part of it.
As for Leicester, that victory over Forest had seemed to mark a turning point, but the old failings that brought six defeats in a row were in evidence once again.
Faes and centre-back partner Jonny Evans looked dominant in the first half, but Faes’ loose touch let Solanke in to set up Bournemouth’s leveller and then they were too passive for the winner.
It has been a horrible start to the season for Rodgers’ side and the next two fixtures at home to Crystal Palace and Leeds may prove crucial in deciding his future.
source – BBC Sport
