Leicester 2-0 Everton: Claude Puel earns first win as visitors' problems mount

Claude Puel started life at Leicester with a 2-0 win over Everton, with the visitors remaining marooned in the relegation zone.

With David Unsworth in caretaker charge following the sacking of Ronald Koeman, Everton were punished by Leicester's pace on the break as Jamie Vardy (18) and a heavily deflected Demarai Gray effort off Jonjoe Kenny (28) gave them an early advantage.

Puel, who was appointed as Leicester's third manager of 2017 on Wednesday, had to watch his side defend deep for the majority of the second period - but the visitors lacked the imagination or variation in their play to trouble the scorers.

This latest defeat leaves Everton in the relegation zone having taken just eight points from their opening 10 games, while Leicester climbed to 11th.

Player Ratings

Leicester: Schmeichel (7), Simpson (7), Chilwell (7), Morgan (7), Maguire (7), Fuchs (7), Gray (8), Iborra (7), Ndidi (7), Mahrez (7), Vardy (7).

Subs: Okazaki (6), Albrighton (6), Iheanacho (6)

Everton: Pickford (6), Kenny (5), Williams (6), Jagielka (5), Baines (6), Lennon (6), Mirallas (6), Gueye (6), Davies (6), Rooney (6), Calvert-Lewin (6).

Subs: Niasse (6), Baningime (6), Sigurdsson (6)

Man of the match: Demarai Gray

Leicester came out of the blocks flying for their new boss and were ahead inside 18 minutes.

The goal was everything Everton lacked; pure pace and aggression. The flowing move was instigated by a 70-yard counter attacking surge by Gray. He released Riyad Mahrez, who crossed for Vardy to sweep home from close range.

Leicester doubled their lead on 28 minutes - although they were given a huge helping hand by the unfortunate Kenny, whose attempted clearance from a Gray centre comically flew beyond his own goalkeeper.

Team news

Ben Chilwell and Demarai Gray replaced Shinji Okazaki and Marc Albrighton for Leicester while Aaron Lennon made his first Premier League start since January for Everton in one of three changes from the defeat against Arsenal.

Unsworth handed a Premier League debut to 19-year-old Beni Baningime at the break and he looked composed at the base of Everton's midfield, but the visitors remained unimaginative in possession when in the final third.

Fellow substitute Oumar Niasse broke into some appealing positions but his finish was distinctly lacking as Leicester saw out the game relatively comfortably.   

As the final whistle sounded, the home fans cheekily chanted: "All that money, and you're going down."

Man of the match: Demarai Gray

His lung bursting run tipped the game in Leicester's favour and he earned the luck he received with his goal, which owed a huge amount to Kenny's wild clearance.

Jamie Carragher said: "He's been spoken about a lot these last couple of years in terms of potential. He's never quite nailed down a position but he's made a great start under the new manager. He'll be thinking he could be a mainstay, especially if Riyad Mahrez becomes a No 10 behind Jamie Vardy."