- Second successive defeat for Albion
- Leicester take control with three first-half goals at the King Power Stadium
- James Maddison (2) and Jamie Vardy win it for the Foxes
- Albion stay 16th ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Fulham
Albion were floored by three goals in 17 minutes as they slumped to defeat at the King Power Stadium on a less than Super Sunday for the Seagulls.
After a bright start, when Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Danny Welbeck could have scored, the Foxes took control with two goals from James Maddison and one by Jamie Vardy, his fifth against Albion in the Premier League, to open up a 3-0 half-time lead.
Graham Potter's men kept going in the second half but got no reward and now face a couple of critical games against sides below them with a trip to Fulham on Wednesday followed by a home match against Sheffield United next Sunday.
Tariq Lamptey was absent through injury and Potter handed Jahanbakhsh his first Premier League start of the season and also brought in Dan Burn. They lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation which, initially at least, Leicester matched.
Albion carved out two great chances in the opening nine minutes.
Solly March picked out Jahanbakhsh with a great pass in the sixth minute but Kasper Schmeichel pushed away his shot before the visitors went even closer. March and Jahanbakhsh combined this time and the Iranian slipped a lovely ball through to Danny Welbeck who struck it with his left foot only for Schmeichel to save superbly with his legs.
Jahanbakhsh was lively early on. In the 17th minute he slipped on the edge of the D and couldn't keep his shot on target but at the halfway point in the first half Potter would have been happy with how his side settled.
But then Leicester found another gear and took control with three goals in 17 minutes.
Vardy had already struck the post from the tightest of angles after Youri Tielemens picked him out from the right when the hosts went in front after 27 minutes. Tielemans' effort from just inside the box was half-cleared to Maddison, who beat Maty Ryan with a low shot which crept inside the left-hand post.
Ryan made a really good save three minutes later to push away an effort from Ayoze Perez but Leicester were in control, with Justin James having plenty of joy down their right after switching flanks. It was his teasing low cross on 41 minutes which Vardy, just onside, tucked away for his 10th Premier League goal of the campaign.
Albion were reeling and they conceded a third goal in the 44th minute. There was no disputing the quality of Maddison’s left-foot curler into the corner from the right, but the midfielder wasn’t closed down and neither was Vardy when his pass created the opening.
Leicester had the game won and in the second half they protected their advantage fairly comfortably.
Albion saw plenty of the ball but lacked a cutting edge, although Maupay did test Schmeichel on the hour when Burn clipped the ball in and the Frenchman attempted a bicycle kick.
Potter brought on Steven Alzate, Aaron Connolly and Alexis Mac Allister with an eye on Wednesday's trip to Craven Cottage and Albion will need to put this one behind them quickly as they prepare for a crucial spell of four games in 13 days.
Albion: Ryan, Veltman, White, Dunk, Burn, Bissouma (Mac Allister 74), Gross, Janhanbakhsh (Alzate 55), Maupay, March, Welbeck (Connolly 62).
Subs: Steele, Webster, Propper.
Referee: Martin Atkinson