Leicester overcome Rotherham to extend lead at top

4 months ago 120
Patson DakaPatson Daka has scored four times in his last four games for Leicester

Championship leaders Leicester City wore down bottom side Rotherham United to go six points clear at the top at Christmas.

After being frustrated in the first half by the resilient Millers, Patson Daka steered home the opener on the hour after Viktor Johansson had saved from Wesley Faes.

Daka soon added a second from the penalty spot after the Zambian forward had been taken out by Johansson when clean through, and Cesare Casadei headed in Ricardo Pereira's cross as Rotherham subsided.

Relive Saturday's EFL actionChampionship table

It wrapped up a fifth straight win - and 19th from 23 matches in the league this season - as the Championship pacesetters continued to look unstoppable as the season reached its halfway mark.

In contrast, a third straight league defeat for new boss Leam Richardson extended Rotherham's winless run on the road to 26 matches in all competitions - going back to 8 November last year - and leaves them nine points adrift of safety.

The Millers have shown signs of improvement under Richardson, despite the results, and in the first half largely blunted a Leicester attack which had notched 10 goals in their three previous matches.

Johansson saved from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jannik Vestergaard's header before excellent defending by Hakeem Odoffin denied Ricardo Pereira a certain goal from Mavididi's cut-back as the Foxes began to up the intensity.

The frustration grew after the break as Johansson turned behind another Dewsbury-Hall strike before Fatawu Issahaku was denied by Sean Morrison's goalline clearance.

But patience and perseverance was rewarded with two goals in five minutes from Daka - his first league double for Leicester - before Casadei's first since his debut strike in August underlined the hosts' dominance.

The Millers have scored just six goals from 12 away matches this season and mustered just two attempts on goal, neither on target, in contrast to Leicester's 24.

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 4-2-3-1

30Hermansen2JustinSubstituted forSouttarat 78'minutes23Vestergaard3Faes21Ricardo PereiraSubstituted forChoudhuryat 78'minutes25NdidiSubstituted forCasadeiat 70'minutes8Winks18FatawuBooked at 45minsSubstituted forAkgünat 55'minutes22Dewsbury-HallSubstituted forPraetat 69'minutes10Mavididi20Daka

Substitutes

4Coady7Casadei14Iheanacho15Souttar17Choudhury26Praet28Cannon29Akgün41Stolarczyk

Rotherham

Formation 5-3-2

1JohanssonBooked at 64mins2Lembikisa22Odoffin23Morrison28Revan3Bramall16LindsaySubstituted forClucasat 79'minutes27Tiéhi18Rathbone10HugillSubstituted forKellyat 69'minutes29NombeSubstituted forEavesat 69'minutes

Substitutes

8Clucas9Eaves12Kelly26Phillips30Appiah35McGuckin

Referee:Darren Bond

Attendance:31,175

Live Text

Match ends, Leicester City 3, Rotherham United 0.

Second Half ends, Leicester City 3, Rotherham United 0.

Offside, Leicester City. Stephy Mavididi is caught offside.

Attempt missed. Yunus Akgün (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Cesare Casadei.

Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Tom Eaves (Rotherham United).

Foul by Harry Winks (Leicester City).

Sam Clucas (Rotherham United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Offside, Rotherham United. Tom Eaves is caught offside.

Attempt missed. Hamza Choudhury (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.

Attempt saved. Stephy Mavididi (Leicester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Harry Winks.

Attempt missed. Oliver Rathbone (Rotherham United) left footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the left following a fast break.

Substitution, Rotherham United. Sam Clucas replaces Jamie Lindsay.

Substitution, Leicester City. Hamza Choudhury replaces Ricardo Pereira.

Substitution, Leicester City. Harry Souttar replaces James Justin.

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Sebastian Revan.

Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Georgie Kelly (Rotherham United).

Goal! Leicester City 3, Rotherham United 0. Cesare Casadei (Leicester City) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ricardo Pereira with a cross.

Substitution, Leicester City. Cesare Casadei replaces Wilfred Ndidi.

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