- 1 day ago
11th vs 7th. The Foxes are still celebrating their League Cup triumph against Tranmere. They now have new signing Stan Collymore in their ranks. Sunderland's form has evaporated and are now winless in eight.
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00:00Street when Sunderland provided the opposition in March 2000, Leicester had come home with
00:04the Worthington Cup. It was a testimony to Martin O'Neill's astute management that he'd
00:09taken the Foxes to a level where they could win trophies on such limited resources. They'd
00:14beaten Trammere 2-1 at Wembley a week earlier. The Foxes, with a place in Europe secured,
00:20were at full strength. Matt Elliott, Frank Sinclair and Gerry Taggart were the rearguard
00:25of a 3-5-2 formation. Stan Connemore was given his home debut. Could his partnership with
00:31Emil Heske live up to its undoubted potential? Sunderland were without a Premier League win
00:38since Christmas, but they could still go sixth with a victory. Chris Makin and Stefan Schwartz
00:43were back from suspension, but they needed a big performance from the Premier League's
00:46leading scorer Kevin Phillips, who was on 23 goals. Could he dampen the party atmosphere?
00:53Your match commentator is Steve Banyard.
00:58Alex Ray and Kevin Phillips stood over the ball for Sunderland.
01:12Heske climbing for that one, winning the free kick for Leicester, which Lennon takes quickly.
01:25This Leicester City XI that Martin O'Neill has fielded today will be a very welcome boost
01:32for the Foxes manager after the continual injury problems that he's been plagued by through
01:38the course of the season.
01:43Emil Heske.
01:44Collymore to aim out in the middle as well, and a corner one for Leicester.
01:56Now will Heske and Collymore click as a partnership.
02:02Swung over and Sunderland's marking a little bit, wait what it has to be said.
02:06Savage is inside the area, looking to snap any rebound.
02:12Here's Lennon.
02:16Izzet's made a good forward run here for Leicester.
02:20And it's just out for the throw, but a good positive start here by the home side.
02:33Seven goals for Heske this season, but certainly his contribution to the team play is very notable.
02:40Just ask Kevin Keegan and Martin O'Neill.
02:46Very workman-like Leicester City side, but the boring tag that they've been labelled with at times
02:53after they've snuffed out opposition attacks is perhaps not really deserved
02:58as Collymore comes in for the cross from Heske.
03:03Another great piece of play by Heske.
03:09Collymore, who won it originally, and then Heske with the power to drive through that Sunderland defence.
03:18Such a strong figure, Emil Heske.
03:21Peter Reid's biggest problem has been defensive weakness in recent weeks.
03:28Now Elliott taking control for Leicester.
03:36Is it?
03:42Now for Darren Eadie.
03:44It's good running by Collymore.
03:47And an excellently timed tackle from Butler.
03:53Timing on that was absolutely critical.
03:56Collymore holding the line, then darting forward, but a well-timed challenge from Butler.
04:03Clearly getting the ball first.
04:10Fifteen minutes gone.
04:12Leicester City 0.
04:14Sunderland 0 at Filbert Street.
04:29Stan Collymore, nothing but controversial, of course.
04:36And Kevin Phillips has been absolutely razor-shark this season.
04:44Certainly he has been one of the most outstanding purchases in recent seasons, and Heske with a snapshot.
04:56Well, he struck it cleanly, he struck it well, and he struck it first time.
05:01But again, science of a great partnership being forged between Heske and Collymore.
05:15Well won by Sinclair.
05:19Now Eadie.
05:25Leicester making most of the early running here.
05:36Well, it's poked on here towards Niall Quinn, but the whistle has already gone.
05:42Quinn looking across to the linesman.
05:45His flag is raised.
05:51Sinclair was very close to playing Niall Quinn onside then.
06:02Heske, flicking on for Collymore.
06:05What a goal from Stan Collymore!
06:08He opens his account for Leicester City.
06:12Well, he's colourful, he's charismatic, he's controversial, he's Stan Collymore, and he's opened his account in fantastic fashion.
06:24Almost a carbon copy in reverse of the move just a minute ago, and he just doesn't score boring goals.
06:37Well, what a way to make your mark on the Premiership with your new team.
06:53115 goals in 279 career appearances before today.
07:02Everybody's been talking about Martin O'Neill getting the best out of him, but here comes Sunderland with Quinn.
07:09Lennon try to clear it.
07:10Taggart hammers it away.
07:24And he's made a habit of scoring spectacular goals as Sunderland try and threaten with Phillips.
07:29huge steps.
07:39Can youcase points?
07:41He's one.
07:44Traduco.
07:44There's no depth.
07:49There's no depth.
07:51There's no depth!
07:52One of try!
07:54D calibre.
07:57One in one in the top.
07:58It's and not a bad try either for Sunderland from Kevin Phillips.
08:10Beautiful first touch off the chest and look at that just dipping over.
08:33Now Phillips, Schwarz, Quint's made a promising run just ahead of him but as Schwarz has brought down, it's another
08:47opportunity for Sunderland in a dangerous area.
08:54Kevin Kilban perhaps to have a strike on goal.
08:58The left-sided player for Sunderland, it's a great effort!
09:03Well a phenomenal strike from the former West Brom player.
09:08Rattling the woodwork and Quint almost able to capitalize on the rebound but this positively thumped against the bar.
09:17I think it took a deflection of a Leicester player in the wall as well.
09:22But Flowers was certainly beaten.
09:34Hesky, accelerating away from his marker.
09:37He's got two to aim at Collymore with a great chance for number two, it comes off Butler.
09:45Well, phenomenal pace from Emil Hesky. He left his marker completely for dead here.
09:59That's a great flick on up the near post by Collymore.
10:05Taggart, along with Elliott, were up there for it in fact.
10:10Yes, it was Collymore's initial flick. Taggart nearly getting his boot to it.
10:29It's a good piece of play by Makin.
10:32It's a good piece of play by Makin.
11:02And the ball spinning kindly here for Leicester.
11:08Collymore, a challenge from Craddock.
11:15A little bit wayward that time by Sunderland.
11:18Lennon steals it for Leicester. Hesky through the middle. Hesky! 2-0 for Leicester City!
11:25And after a mistake by Sunderland, possession stolen back by Leicester.
11:33And Emil Hesky applies the perfect finish.
11:37The Wembley winners enjoying the homecoming.
11:42And Hesky. And Hesky's acceleration took him away from his marker once again.
11:48And a sure right-footed finish past Sorensen.
11:55Leicester City 2, Sunderland 0.
11:59Is what?
12:10I think if Martin O'Neill were able to have a fully fit squad,
12:17this would be his first choice starting XI as Sunderland.
12:20Look to counter! And Elliott almost scoring a home goal there.
12:29Well, he's chipped in with eight goals at the right end this season.
12:37Hesky with two red and white shirts around him.
12:40In by Taggart.
12:42Nicely touched off for Reedy.
12:45Now Guppy with space to pick out his man.
12:48It's a great delivery and the header coming in from Mazi, is it?
12:57Well, again, Sunderland completely left Guppy there.
13:01Time and space to pick out his man.
13:04It was inch-perfect for Mazi, is it?
13:07Holloway.
13:11Is it chasing around, pressing the ball all the time?
13:14But there goes the half-time whistle.
13:17Stan Collymore has certainly extinguished any doubts about his ability this afternoon.
13:21His opening goal after missing the Worthington Cup final last weekend.
13:26Being cup-tied, followed up by that cracking goal from Emil Hesky as well.
13:31At half-time at Filbert Street, it's Leicester City 2, Sunderland 0.
13:43Leicester getting us underway in this second half.
13:48Last three meetings at Filbert Street have actually been draws.
13:57And in the reverse fixture back up at the Stadium of Light in mid-September.
14:02Well, it was 2-0 to Sunderland that day.
14:05The goal scorers Butler and Gavin McCann, who's one of several players on the treatment table for Sunderland.
14:12He injured his knee against Coventry, he's out for the rest of the season.
14:16And an early chance here for Sunderland.
14:18With Alex Ray getting forward into the danger zone and testing Tim Flowers.
14:28Well, Quinn winning the header and Ray getting the snap shot away.
14:42Taggart's clearing header. Back by Juan. The ball for Phillips! What a goal by Kevin Phillips!
14:51They're right back in it! And England's sharpest shooter fires Sunderland back into the game.
14:58With goal 24 of the season.
15:04Put on a plate for him. And he was quite happy to eat that one up.
15:10Taggart's header down and Phillips on the turn. Flowers beaten. Leicester 2, Sunderland 1.
15:21Darren Eadie unable to continue and Stefan Oakes coming on in his place.
15:34Martin O'Neill just needing to steady the ship a little bit.
15:39Sunderland looking far stronger in this second period.
15:45Leicester still 2-1 in front after those first half goals from Corrie Moore and Heskey.
16:00Out by Butler. Only as far as Matt Elliott.
16:09Elliott's side stepping Schwartz. This is it. And a little bit of a trip there by Makin.
16:25Lennon's ball in. The header! And a second goal for Stan Collymore!
16:31What an amazing match! What an amazing afternoon this man is having!
16:37Stan the man is back in town! He's back in business!
16:41And Leicester have restored their two-goal cushion! What a great header!
16:51Sorenson beat Norland up!
16:55Pace and Curl on the delivery from Lennon!
17:00And a quite wonderful header from Stan Collymore!
17:11Lennon!
17:15Lennon!
17:16Sunderland pressing all the time to try and get this ball back now!
17:20Savage!
17:22Forward for Collymore!
17:24Drops down for Izzet!
17:34Heskey!
17:37Izzet capitalising onto it!
17:39And Guppy's forward here! He can wrap it up!
17:42But he's pulled it wide!
17:45That could really have killed off Sunderland for sure!
17:52Sunderland's defenders, Butler in particular, perhaps went to sleep there!
17:58And Guppy knows he really should have hit the target!
18:05So too does Martin O'Neill!
18:09Alex Ray!
18:14Kevin Phillips seems to be dropping deeper and deeper in an effort to get Sunderland back on track here!
18:24Here's Quinn! Great skill from Lyle! Quinn!
18:26And a quite excellent finish from the veteran striker!
18:31Back to 3-2!
18:34And Nile Quinn goes into double figures for the season!
18:40Certainly had the control and the composure to beat Elliot before slotting past the unfortunate Tim Flowers!
18:53Game on once again!
18:59Well, I don't suppose the odds on Phillips and Quinn being the Sunderland scorers would have been too great today!
19:06But that goal from Nile Quinn certainly gives Peter Reid's men a chance of getting something out of this game!
19:16What more is in store!
19:19Less than quarter of an hour to go!
19:22Some of his long throw in towards Quinn!
19:25And the shot blocked this time by Lennon!
19:35Now Oakes!
19:37It's going to be another real test!
19:38And Leicester's character!
19:50It's going to be another real test!
19:52It's going to be another real test!
19:56And Leicester's character!
19:57And Leicester's character!
19:58Now Heskey!
19:58For Collymore!
20:02It's been a memorable afternoon for Stan Collymore in particular!
20:06But only if Leicester City go on and win it!
20:08And this is a good positive run here by John Oster!
20:13Pulling the shot from the edge of the area and forcing the save from Flowers!
20:26That's a fantastic looking pass!
20:31John Oster!
20:33Sidestepping Oakes!
20:37Oster back for Somerville!
20:42Schwartz in support!
20:49The banners pulled wide!
20:55Make it!
21:02And some will be able to put the cross in this time!
21:05In towards Quinn but out by the combination of Sinclair and Elliott!
21:17It could be an anxious last few minutes this for Leicester!
21:24Sinclair and fighting back Quinn!
21:35Here's Oaks!
21:39And Heskey is onside!
21:41This could be the chance that Leicester need to take to wrap it up!
21:45It's Collymore!
21:47It's a hat trick for Stanley Collymore!
21:49And Leicester City have surely beaten Sinclair now!
21:54What a way to get your debut up to a flying start!
22:00Stan Collymore hits a hat trick for Leicester!
22:05Unselfish play by Heskey!
22:07The offside trap was broken!
22:12And Sunderen seemingly stood and watched as Collymore was able to scuff the shot into the back of the net!
22:29Quinn!
22:30Will it be 4-3?
22:32Well the ball could go anywhere!
22:34Savage!
22:35Steered back for Schwartz!
22:43Taggart with an uncompromising clearance!
22:49Peter Reid wondering what he has to do to get Sunderland back to their form of early season!
22:59Certainly his promise changes!
23:08Peter Reid publicly slated his players after the Coventry game and stated that a number of them would be sold
23:18and replacement sought if they failed to restore the quality that he'd injected into it.
23:24To the side in the early part of the season.
23:32Now are we going to get a Collymore special of a free kick?
23:47Oaks it is!
23:48It was deflected!
23:49And it's five!
23:54Stefan Oaks!
23:56His first ever Premiership goal for Leicester!
24:00And it just clipped off the wall to totally wrongfoot Zoranson!
24:09The margin of victory is now complete and comprehensive!
24:18Five goals in total in the second half!
24:21And that's the full time whistle!
24:25A hat-trick for Stan Collymore on his home debut!
24:29And what a hero's homecoming it's been!
24:33Collymore got Leicester City off to an absolute flyer!
24:36With a bullet of a shot from the edge of the area!
24:41The combination of Collymore and Heskey was absolutely rampant in the first half!
24:49And it finishes at Filbert Street!
24:51Leicester City five!
24:53Sunderland two!
24:55Some way to register your home debut!
24:58A great performance from Stan Collymore and from Leicester City!
25:02Controversy was never very far away throughout Collymore's career,
25:05but here at least was a pure example of his talent!
25:09Collymore and Heskey helped Leicester to a fantastic eighth place that season
25:13in what was a golden era for the club!
25:16Sunderland also showed plenty of backbone during the season!
25:19Peter Reid's men got back on...