Saints 2-2 Leicester City: The verdict

The cliché was given some credence by Saints’ second-half performance against Leicester City.

Saints are no strangers to the discarding of a two-goal advantage. They managed it twice under Mauricio Pochettino (at Spurs and Sunderland in early 2014), but the dreaded equaliser always lands a heavier blow to the solar plexus when it comes at home. In injury time.

Saturday’s capitulation was the first time in nine seasons Saints have doubled their lead, only to throw it away, in a league match at St Mary’s.

Not since Cardiff recovered from 0-2 to snatch a Championship point in March 2007 have Saints been on the wrong end of such a turnaround on home turf.

It is hard to believe that this was, but for two changes, the same Saints side that produced a second- half masterclass in their previous match - the vanquishing of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

For 45 minutes, they looked on course for a third successive Premier League win, with centre-halves Jose Fonte and Virgil Van Dijk both scoring while also impressing at the back.

Fonte’s near-post header from Dusan Tadic’s flag-kick found the far corner in the 20th minute.

It was the perfect way for the captain to celebrate the recent extension of his contract until 2018.

Saints were denied a second when Kasper Schmeichel produced a save his dad would have been proud of, diving low to his right to prevent Sadio Mane from curling a left-footer into the far corner.

Moments later, in the 37th minute, Van Dijk stabbed in the second from close range, after Graziano Pelle’s header and his initial effort both came back off a post.

There was no reason not to think it was going to be Saints’ day at that stage, especially as replays showed Vin Dijk to be offside.

But two-goal Jamie Vardy had provided hints of what was to come – and the half-time introduction of Nathan Dyer and Riyad Mahrez was a pivotal moment.

For Ronald Koeman, the key moment was Mane’s failure to find the net after rounding Schmeichel in the 51st minute.

In fairness to Mane it was hardly a miss in the Ronny Rosenthal category. With defenders covering he still had a lot to do and Danny Simpson deserves credit for denying the Senegalese.

What changed the game was the Leicester substitutions. Dyer and Mahrez provided wonderful assists for both goals....and it all went wrong for Saints soon after the introduction of Maya Yoshida and Jordy Clasie, for Cedric Soares and Steve Davis, on the hour.

Soares had been wounded by a first-half clash of heads with Jeffrey Schlupp, who required ten stitches.

Six minutes later, Vardy headed in former Saints winger Dyer’s pinpoint cross at the near post.

Leicester loanee Dyer enjoyed success at St Mary’s in two of his three previous visits with Swansea.

Playing his first game since scoring a late winner as Leicester came from behind to beat Aston Villa five weeks ago, Dyer haunted his first club once again.

Fit again following a knee injury, he raced down the right past Tadic and Van Dijk before whipping across the perfect ball for Vardy.

You have to go back to Saints’ last game under Nigel Adkins nearly three years ago for their last comeback from 2-0 down, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in January 2013.

But Leicester are making a habit of it, having scored three goals in the last 18 minutes to beat Villa before drawing 2-2, despite trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes, at Stoke last month.

Knowing that no doubt contributed to Saints’ nervousness, which was particularly acute after Vardy’s bullet header reduced the arrears in the 66th minute.

Jay Rodriguez came on for the last 15 but, like Clasie, is nowhere near his best after injury.

Buoyed by their goal, it seemed only a matter of time before Leicester would score again.

Vardy could easily have had a hat-trick. He missed a very good chance in the 81st minute, when he sidefooted over from Mahrez’s pass.

Mane attempted an audacious chip from just inside the Leicester half before Vardy took the chance to stretch Leicester’s unbeaten away run to nine matches...and his lead atop the Premier League goal charts to three clear of Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez.

Without Maarten Stekelenburg, who injured his back in training on Friday, Kelvin Davis was playing his first game of the season.

It was not one for the memory bank.

A poor kick from the 39 year-old handed possession to a vibrant Leicester during the five minutes of injury time.

Leicester’s subs combined to set up the equaliser. Dyer found Mahrez, whose slide-rule through ball between Fonte and Van Dijk provided a chance that Vardy ensured was not wasted.

With Yoshida playing him onside, the England striker drove his ninth of the season emphatically past Davis from 12 yards.

Saints were grateful when the final whistle ensured they at least had a point to show for their first-half efforts.

SAINTS: Davis 5, Soares 6 (Yoshida 60 4), Fonte 7, Van Dijk 6, Bertrand 5, Davis 7 (Clasie 60 4), Wanyama 4, Mané 6, Ward-Prowse 6, Tadic 4 (Rodriguez 75), Pellè 5.
Unused substitutes.: Romeu, Juanmi, Gazzaniga, Caulker.

Booked: Wanyama, Bertrand.

Attendance: 31,339