Leicester City beat Brighton to go 2nd in Premier League

Sports Desk, Mar 6 (efe-epa).- Leicester City scored two second-half goals Saturday to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 and move ahead of Manchester United into second place in the Premier League.

Following a home defeat to Arsenal and a disappointing draw with Burnley, the Foxes turned in a sub-par first half at the Amex and trailed 1-0 at the break on Adam Lallana’s goal in the 10th minute.

Only the post stopped Lallana from getting a second in the 40th minute and Neal Maupay put the ball in the Leicester net in the 43rd, but the offside flag was up.

The visitors were much better in the second half and drew level in the 62nd minute with a goal by Kelechi Iheanacho.

Lallana forced a fine save from Kasper Schmeichel in the 80th minute and Brighton appeared to have dodged a bullet when the referee and VAR declined to give a penalty for Lewis Dunk’s takedown of Jamie Vardy in the 86th minute.

But the Seagulls ended up conceding the match winner on the ensuing corner, as keeper Robert Sanchez fumbled his attempt at a grab in the air and Daniel Amartey was there to head the ball into the empty net.

Leicester improve to 53 points, 2 more than Man United and 13 behind leaders Manchester City. Brighton are 16th with 26 points, just 3 above the drop zone.

Last-place Sheffield United could have seen Saturday’s visit to Bramall Lane by Southampton as a chance to pick up some desperately needed points against a squad that lost eight of their last nine matches.

And the picture turned even bleaker for Southampton when their best striker, Danny Ings, left with an injury in the 13th minute, replaced by Che Adams.

But the Blades went behind in the 32nd minute as James Ward-Prowse converted from the spot after Ethan Ampadu fouled Nathan Tello in the area.

The Saints doubled their advantage just four minutes into the half with a goal by Adams and the 0-2 held up. Their first victory in 10 games brings them to 33 points, good enough for 14th place.

Now 12 points adrift with 10 matches to play, Sheffield look doomed to relegation.

In the West Midlands derby, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton finished 0-0, a result that did nothing to boost the fading European aspiration of either club.

It was a contest of few real chances and the woodwork made more stops than Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez or Wolves’ Rui Patricio, who had to save a strike from Ollie Watkins in the dying seconds.

Villa remain ninth on 39 points. Wolves are 12th with 34.

EFE apa/dr