EVERTON PUT FURTHER distance between themselves and the bottom three but could only play out a lacklustre goalless draw at already-relegated Watford.
Frank Lampard’s side went into the match having taken 10 points from five matches which had lifted them out of the relegation zone and up to 16th, one point ahead of Burnley and Leeds.
Sunday’s victory at Leicester was Everton’s first on the road in the Premier League since August but they were unable to follow it up with a second as the Hornets recorded their first post-pandemic clean sheet at Vicarage Road.
The Toffees struggled despite coming up against a depleted Watford side, with seven changes to the starting line-up from the 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace which confirmed their relegation.
Roy Hodgson’s men had energy at the outset, forcing Everton to take risks in giving the ball back to goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The Hornets had an opportunity in the eighth minute with a clever passing move, but Samuel Kalu was unable to control the shot and Pickford was able to make the save.
Everton looked to attack down the right-hand side especially, but chances were hard to come by. Alex Iwobi found Anthony Gordon on the half-hour, but he was unable to direct his shot goalwards.
Watford had an opportunity just before half-time with a free-kick from outside the box but Kalu’s curled effort was just over the crossbar.
Ben Foster was called upon to make his first save of the match early in the second half as he kept out a deflected Richarlison shot that was heading into the back of the net, but the Hornets keeper managed to palm the ball behind.
Everton looked to be getting closer and almost took the lead in the 62nd minute when they won the ball back in midfield and Iwobi found Demarai Gray but his shot across goal was inches wide of the far post.
Michael Keane sent a header straight at Foster as Everton edged closer to a breakthrough, but they were unable to find the back of the net and a game lacking in quality finished goalless.
Jamie Vardy’s double helped ease Leicester past relegated Norwich.
The striker’s second-half brace and James Maddison’s goal lifted the Foxes to 10th in the Premier League with a 3-0 win.
Victory against the rock-bottom Canaries ended a seven-game winless run but the hosts barely needed to get out of second gear.
Angus Gunn made several fine saves for Norwich and Teemu Pukki hit the post but the Canaries were left wanting after the break.
Dean Smith’s side slipped to a 12th defeat in 14 games and are just playing out time before their return to the Championship.
Gunn, in for the dropped Tim Krul, last played Leicester in Southampton’s 9-0 defeat to the Foxes in 2019 and had some demons to exorcise.
Krul’s recent error-strewn performances had given the 26-year-old a chance and he answered any early questions in the opening 12 minutes.
First he parried James Maddison’s drive before an impressive stop denied Vardy’s follow-up. Leicester sensed an opener and, soon after, Gunn turned Maddison’s effort wide.
Yet the Foxes were vulnerable on the break and were almost undone by Max Aarons’ ball down the right for Milot Rashica.
With Tony Springett, making his full debut, alone in the box the winger crossed only for Kasper Schmeichel to parry the ball at his feet and then save Pukki’s rebound.
The goalkeeper also kept out Dimitris Giannoulis’ 20-yard strike as Norwich found space in the opening 20 minutes.
Leicester had let the Canaries off the hook after a bright start but they were still able to carve out chances and Gunn stuck out a leg to keep out Ademola Lookman after excellent work from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
But it was the visitors who should have gone in at the break ahead when, in first half injury-time, the industrious Springett harried Maddison to win the ball and send Pukki scampering towards goal.
He twisted Daniel Amartey to leave the defender on the deck and had just Schmeichel to beat but slammed his shot against the near post.
It proved a costly miss for the Canaries as Leicester grabbed a quickfire double to race 2-0 ahead.
They found the opener nine minutes after the break when Harvey Barnes sent Vardy dashing down the left and he cut inside with Grant Hanley for company.
The Scotland international tried to delay the striker but was left helpless as Vardy’s shot hit his standing foot to loop over the stranded Gunn.
Eight minutes later Vardy doubled the lead when he again combined with Barnes to lash in his 14th goal of the season from 10 yards.
Leicester were in cruise control and made it 3-0 with 20 minutes left with a goal for former Canary Maddison.
The Foxes were given plenty of time around the Norwich box and when Gunn parried Dewsbury-Hall’s cross Maddison, who moved from Carrow Road in 2018, lashed in the loose ball.
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