Ipswich fightback denies Everton precious Goodison win as Leicester 'legend' Jamie Vardy dooms Southampton to last place
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Published 03/05/2025 at 18:16 GMT+1
Everton looked set to enjoy a rare Premier League victory in their penultimate game at Goodison Park after racing into an early 2-0 lead, only for relegated Ipswich Town to mount a comeback and claim a 2-2 draw. Elsewhere, Jamie Vardy was described as a Leicester "legend" after his 199th goal for The Foxes sent them on the way to a 2-0 win over Southampton. Defeat condemned Saints to last place.
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Everton threw away a two-goal lead as relegated Ipswich Town fought back to claim a 2-2 Premier League draw in The Toffees’ penultimate Goodison Park outing.
The Tractor Boys headed to Merseyside with only pride to play for after having their demotion confirmed with four games to spare last week.
Their disappointing season looked to be unravelling further when Beto and Dwight McNeil both struck in the space of nine first-half minutes to put Everton in cruise control.
David Moyes' side were on course to leapfrog Manchester United and Wolves into 13th place in the Premier League standings amid a buoyant atmosphere under the spring sunshine.
But instead, they were left stunned by a fightback from The Tractor Boys, who got back into the game before the break through a stunning long-range Julio Enciso effort.
Substitute George Hirst then headed in the equaliser at the back post with 11 minutes remaining to leave Everton with one win in 10 games.
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"I’m really proud. It was always going to be a tough game for us," said Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna.
"I don’t think it had been a 2-0 game, but the group responded really well. It took a great goal to get us back into it, but the group stuck together, and I think we deserved at least a point.
"It’s been a challenge. We knew everything would have to go right, and it hasn’t. We know injuries have been a part of that. There’s frustration in there, but it is what it is. The boys who have been available have given their all pretty much every week.
"The motivation hasn’t been hard. A lot of the boys are playing in the Premier League for the first time. The only hard bit has been pulling them together as a group. I think you can see that they’re still really fighting for the club."
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A point was nevertheless enough to see The Toffees rise above United into 14th place in the table ahead of The Red Devils' trip to Brentford on Sunday.
Everton will have one last chance to seal a final victory at Goodison Park when they host bottom side Southampton in the penultimate round of the season on Sunday, May 18.
The club will leave the ground they have called home since 1892 at the end of the 2024/25 campaign to move to a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock.
'Legend' Vardy one goal from landmark
Jamie Vardy netted his 199th goal in Leicester City colours as the Foxes defeated Southampton 2-0 in a battle of the bottom two sides in the league.
The veteran striker’s 13-year spell at the King Power Stadium, in which he was an integral part of their astonishing 2015/16 title win, will end this summer.
He moved one strike from the 200-goal landmark when he struck after 17 minutes to record Leicester’s first home goal in the league since December 8.
"I told him two more goals to get to 200," said Leicester midfielder Bilal El Khannouss.
"Today he scored one, and I will help him to the end to score another one. He's a legend for the club."
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Jordan Ayew’s well-taken finish doubled Leicester’s lead before the interval, setting them on course for their first victory since January.
That came after the Ghana international had accidentally caught referee David Webb in the face in a freak accident that forced the official to retire from the game injured as fourth official Sam Barrott took his place.
Southampton, who had a goal ruled out for offside after the break, are now guaranteed to finish in last place this season.
It will be a record third time that the club has finished bottom, and they still need one more point in their remaining four games to avoid equalling Derby County’s record from 2007/08 for the lowest points total recorded in a Premier League season of 11.
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