U23s Report: Everton 4 Leicester City 1

- Callum Connolly headed Everton in front with 13 minutes gone 

- Jeffrey Schlupp levelled matters 11 minutes later 

- Oumar Niasse, Harry Charsley and Courtney Duffus were all on target in the second half 

- Schlupp, Bartosz Kapustka and Yohan Benalouane all featured in Southport 

Leicester City’s Development Squad were beaten 4-1 by Everton in Premier League 2 at the Merseyrail Community Stadium on Monday evening. 

The Foxes found themselves 1-0 down after just 13 minutes, when Callum Connolly powered home a header from inside the box. 

City dominated proceedings following Everton’s opener and drew level on 24 minutes through Jeffrey Schlupp, whose instinctive finish made it 1-1. 

But two goals in five second-half minutes put Everton into a commanding 3-1 lead, as Oumar Niasse and Harry Charsley were both on target, before Courtney Duffus completed the scoring with a minute to play. 

Heading into the clash, Everton sat second in the Premier League 2 table, just a point behind leaders Manchester City, while the Foxes knew a victory in Southport could move them as high as seventh in the table. 

The fixture provided Schlupp, Bartosz Kapustka and Yohan Benalouane with some valuable game time, while the rest of the City youngsters involved will have no doubt benefitted from playing alongside the Club’s first-teamers against a talented Toffees side. 

Everton went forward from the off and capitalised on their early spell of possession, as Connolly headed home from six yards with just 13 minutes on the clock. 

The Foxes responded well though and were unfortunate not to draw level shortly after. First Harvey Barnes saw his low drive blocked, before a 20-yard effort from Matty Miles was also turned away on the quarter-hour mark. 

Kairo Mitchell then forced Toffees stopper Mateusz Hewelt into an excellent low save, before Schlupp flicked wide from close range just moments later. 

But Schlupp made no mistakes with his next opportunity. The winger controlled a loose ball and drilled a low shot past Hewelt to make it 1-1 midway through the first period. 

Opportunities followed for Everton, with Senegal international striker Niasse seeing a shot blocked by Cedric Kipre, while Kieran Dowell curled the rebound over. 

City came agonisingly close to going in front just after the half-hour mark, but after connecting well, Benalouane saw his header cleared off the line by Conor Grant. 

All square at the break, Everton wasted no time in restoring their lead. Gethin Jones crossed to Niasse, who side-footed in from six yards to make it 2-1 to the hosts. 

It was 3-1 to Everton just five minutes later, with Niasse this time turning provider. After some good work down the wing, the frontman squared to Charsley, who converted from just inside the box. 

Opportunities proved to be scarce following Charsley’s strike. While the Foxes tried to get themselves back in the game, Everton defended in numbers to halt any hope of a comeback. 

Schlupp tested Hewelt from distance with a powerful strike that the Everton ‘keeper was equal to, before lashing a knock-down from Josh Knight over with just under 15 minutes to play. 

But as City continued to push to narrow the arrears, they were left stretched at the back, and substitute Duffus fired in from close range to round off the scoring. 

Attentions will now turn to Friday’s Premier League Cup clash with Nottingham Forest at Loughborough University (1pm kick-off). 

EVERTON: Hewelt, Kenny (c), Jones, Davies, Browning, Connolly, Charsley, Grant (Robinson 79), Niasse (Duffus 82), Dowell (Henen 85), Dyson 

SUBS NOT USED: Renshaw, Evans 

GOALS: Connolly 13, Niasse 46, Charsley 51, Duffus 89 

CITY: Bramley, Knight, Wood, Benalouane (c), Kipre, Miles, Barnes, Kapustka (Watts 58), Schlupp, Muskwe (Debayo 85), Mitchell (Uche 80) 

SUBS NOT USED: Domej, Yates 

GOAL: Schlupp 24 

REFEREE: Mr A. Blackhouse