Jamal Lewis smashed home his first Premier League goal to keep alive Norwich’s survival hopes as Leicester were left to lament a big VAR handball call.
The Canaries left-back got forward to net a super shot past Kasper Schmeichel to lift Daniel Farke’s side only four points from safety – and leave their fans singing the theme turn to the Great Escape with 10 games to go.
But while Norwich recorded only their second win in 15 league games, Leicester extended their winless streak to four games without the injured Jamie Vardy.
His replacement as the sole striker Kelechi Iheanacho thought he had given Leicester the lead after 49 minutes when he dispossessed Ben Godfrey and curled home his own left-foot shot from just outside the box.
(Image: Jason Dawson)
But VAR replays showed the ball brushed his hand in the build-up and referee Craig Pawson disallowed the strike to the touchline fury of manager Brendan Rodgers.
Leicester also felt hard done by against Manchester City in their last game when Dennis Praet was penalised for handball after Kevin De Bruyne escaped for the same offence.
Iheanacho had missed the best chance of a poor first-half when he skied inside the box after Lewis had given away possession.
Norwich were playing typically pretty football without producing an end result. On the 15th anniversary of her infamous “Let’s be having you!” rant, the game and the Norwich team badly needed a bit of inspiration from the watching Delia Smith.
(Image: Getty Images)
Instead the disallowed goal raised the home side into action in a better second period. Foxes keeper Schmeichel was finally called into serious action with two saves from Ondrej Duda, the second after a fine Norwich counter-attack where the Slovak should have scored from 14 yards out.
It was left to the two Norwich full-backs to break the deadlock after 70 minutes. Max Aarons made another surging run down the right and his deep cross reached Lewis on the other flank.
The former Canaries trainee controlled the ball on his chest before volleying home a low shot past Schmeichel into the far corner.
Leicester have run out of steam at the business end of the season with only one win in seven Premier League games although they remain seven points clear of Chelsea in third place.
(Image: EMPICS Sport)
Rodgers said Vardy, who has not scored since Christmas, should be back soon following his calf injury but might not be risked for the midweek FA Cup tie against Birmingham. It is his third injury layoff this year.
“He has had a slight pain in his calf,” said the Foxes boss. “He has had a scan and has a low grade issue so, it’s not overly serious. He will be back next week.”
