Premier League
LeicesterLeicester City2West HamWest Ham United2

Leicester City 2-2 West Ham United: Craig Dawson equalises in 91st minute

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at the King Power Stadium
Leicester's Ricardo Pereira scores for Leicester City against West Ham in the Premier League
Ricardo Pereira got his first Premier League goal since scoring against West Ham on 22 January 2020

Declan Rice says West Ham have to "keep believing" after Craig Dawson's injury-time header earned them a crucial point in the fight to finish in the top four against a Leicester side who had looked set to put their recent struggles behind them.

"To get the equaliser at the end was a big point for us considering where we are in the table and where we want to get to," said the Hammers' England midfielder Rice.

West Ham, without controversial defender Kurt Zouma, withdrawn after he felt unwell in the warm-up, had lost their way in the game, but rescued the draw that keeps them a point ahead of Manchester United in fourth when Dawson rose highest to meet a Jarrod Bowen corner and score with the top of his arm - which has been deemed not handball in the laws since the start of last season.

"We have to still keep believing," said Rice. "We are around the top four spots now. Many people doubted us this season but we are still positive and a great bunch of lads."

For the hosts, however, it was a tough blow.

The first serious questions were being asked about manager Brendan Rodgers after the FA Cup fourth-round thrashing at Nottingham Forest was followed by defeat at Liverpool.

The Foxes made a slow start and were punished by Bowen's 10th-minute strike. But they were gifted a lifeline right on half-time when Aaron Cresswell needlessly handled James Maddison's corner, Youri Tielemans drilling home the penalty.

Leicester were galvanised and further rewarded for their improvement when Ricardo Pereira headed home a Harvey Barnes cross after 57 minutes, only for Dawson to deny them late in the game.

Rodgers 'very deflated' after last-minute Hammers equaliser

Leicester miss big chance

The fragile state of affairs at Leicester was illustrated by the sound of groans and jeers as they passed the ball around at the back after West Ham took an early lead.

Frustration was in the air and returned at the final whistle when the Foxes lost the advantage late on, for the third time recently after losing to Tottenham and drawing with Brighton.

It was a desperate body blow for Rodgers and his players who looked like stepping out of their malaise as they were moments away from coming from behind to win.

The pain was etched on faces all around the King Power Stadium as this was a movie they have seen before.

Leicester have a soft centre without key defenders Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana.

It was exposed by Issa Diop's pass for Bowen's goal and then again in stoppage time, even after Rodgers had sent on the giant figure of Jannik Vestergaard late on, presumably to guard against such an eventuality as Dawson's goal.

So near and yet so far for the Foxes. Again.

Moyes admits Hammers 'a bit fortunate' after last-minute equaliser

Hammers fall below high standards

West Ham manager David Moyes will have been relieved to earn a point so late on, but also feel his side wasted an opportunity to earn a vital victory.

The Hammers were in control without sparkling in the first half only to throw away a position of power via Cresswell's handball moments before the break.

The goal, coming at such a crucial time, threw West Ham off course and few could have complained had Leicester hung on at the end.

The Hammers were poor after the interval but deserve credit for at least sticking at it to stage another late show.

Moyes can point to the reshuffle that robbed him of Zouma just before the kick-off, but he will also know his side let Leicester off the hook when they had them down, in arrears, and with the crowd restless in the opening period.

It may prove an important point in the final reckoning, and West Ham stay in the top four - albeit having played a game more than Manchester United.

Moyes will know, however, that high standards have been set this season and this was a performance that fell below them.

Player of the match

BowenJarrod Bowen

with an average of 7.59

Leicester City

  1. Squad number7Player nameBarnes
    Average rating

    6.26

  2. Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
    Average rating

    6.20

  3. Squad number8Player nameTielemans
    Average rating

    6.17

  4. Squad number21Player nameRicardo Pereira
    Average rating

    6.13

  5. Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
    Average rating

    5.74

  6. Squad number33Player nameThomas
    Average rating

    5.65

  7. Squad number10Player nameMaddison
    Average rating

    5.46

  8. Squad number18Player nameAmartey
    Average rating

    5.46

  9. Squad number25Player nameNdidi
    Average rating

    5.46

  10. Squad number29Player nameDaka
    Average rating

    5.34

  11. Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
    Average rating

    5.26

  12. Squad number2Player nameJustin
    Average rating

    5.21

  13. Squad number37Player nameLookman
    Average rating

    4.86

  14. Squad number23Player nameVestergaard
    Average rating

    4.24

West Ham United

  1. Squad number20Player nameBowen
    Average rating

    7.59

  2. Squad number41Player nameRice
    Average rating

    6.72

  3. Squad number15Player nameDawson
    Average rating

    6.69

  4. Squad number22Player nameBenrahma
    Average rating

    6.59

  5. Squad number23Player nameDiop
    Average rating

    6.39

  6. Squad number1Player nameFabianski
    Average rating

    6.37

  7. Squad number10Player nameLanzini
    Average rating

    6.24

  8. Squad number8Player nameFornals
    Average rating

    5.93

  9. Squad number28Player nameSoucek
    Average rating

    5.60

  10. Squad number9Player nameAntonio
    Average rating

    5.57

  11. Squad number11Player nameVlasic
    Average rating

    5.41

  12. Squad number5Player nameCoufal
    Average rating

    5.38

  13. Squad number24Player nameFredericks
    Average rating

    5.29

  14. Squad number3Player nameCresswell
    Average rating

    5.24

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1Schmeichel
  • 21Ricardo PereiraBooked at 18mins
  • 18Amartey
  • 4Söyüncü
  • 2JustinSubstituted forThomasat 31'minutes
  • 8TielemansSubstituted forVestergaardat 89'minutes
  • 25Ndidi
  • 22Dewsbury-Hall
  • 10MaddisonSubstituted forLookmanat 73'minutes
  • 29Daka
  • 7Barnes

Substitutes

  • 11Albrighton
  • 12Ward
  • 14Iheanacho
  • 17Pérez
  • 20Choudhury
  • 23Vestergaard
  • 24Mendy
  • 33Thomas
  • 37Lookman

West Ham

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Fabianski
  • 5CoufalSubstituted forFredericksat 67'minutes
  • 15Dawson
  • 23Diop
  • 3CresswellBooked at 60mins
  • 28Soucek
  • 41RiceBooked at 61mins
  • 20Bowen
  • 10LanziniSubstituted forBenrahmaat 79'minutes
  • 8FornalsSubstituted forVlasicat 79'minutes
  • 9Antonio

Substitutes

  • 7Yarmolenko
  • 11Vlasic
  • 13Areola
  • 16Noble
  • 22Benrahma
  • 24Fredericks
  • 31Johnson
  • 33Král
  • 35Randolph
Referee:
Michael Oliver
Attendance:
32,061

Match Stats

Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamWest Ham
Possession
Home55%
Away45%
Shots
Home13
Away8
Shots on Target
Home2
Away3
Corners
Home5
Away4
Fouls
Home10
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Leicester City 2, West Ham United 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Leicester City 2, West Ham United 2.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Patson Daka.

  4. Goal!

    Goal! Leicester City 2, West Ham United 2. Craig Dawson (West Ham United) with an attempt from very close range to the top right corner. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen with a cross following a corner.

  5. Post update

    Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.

  6. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Leicester City. Jannik Vestergaard replaces Youri Tielemans.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Youri Tielemans (Leicester City).

  9. Post update

    Aaron Cresswell (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Ademola Lookman (Leicester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Youri Tielemans.

  11. Post update

    Attempt saved. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

  12. Post update

    Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Tomas Soucek (West Ham United).

  14. Post update

    Foul by Patson Daka (Leicester City).

  15. Post update

    Nikola Vlasic (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top right corner following a corner.

  17. Post update

    Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.

  18. Post update

    Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Luke Thomas.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, West Ham United. Saïd Benrahma replaces Manuel Lanzini.

  20. Substitution

    Substitution, West Ham United. Nikola Vlasic replaces Pablo Fornals.

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