Bournemouth crush Leicester to put Champions League hopes in jeopardy

Dominic Solanke scored his first two goals for Bournemouth as they produced a stunning 4-1 comeback victory over ten-man Leicester City to keep their Premier League survival hopes alive.

Jamie Vardy scored in the first half for Leicester who could have been another three in front after a dreadful Cherries display.

An errant clearance from Kasper Schmeichel hitting the back of Wilfred Ndidi led to the midfielder bringing down Callum Wilson and Junior Stanislas scored from the spot kick.

Within two minutes Solanke was allowed to run free down the inside left channel and his shot squeezed underneath the Leicester keeper, after which Caglar Soyuncu was dismissed for kicking out at Wilson who was retrieving the ball from the net.

Stanislas then saw his drive across the box inadvertently diverted into the net by Johnny Evans, before a now confident Solanke, who had not scored in 38 games for the Cherries prior to this, classily nipping around Ryan Bennett and then nudging the ball wide of the onrushing Schmeichel.

The win leaves Leicester just a point clear of Manchester United in fifth, who have a game in hand, while Bournemouth are within three points of fourth-bottom Watford.

At half time Bournemouth were being delivered their Premier League last rites. They did not manage a shot at goal until injury time in the first half and there seemed no way they could score one goal let alone more in the second half.

The butterfly-flapping-its-wings moment came when Schmeichel inexplicably smashed a clearance against his own man, precipitating a 25-minute period of football no one could have predicted.

Perhaps the biggest impact, after bringing them within three points of Watford and West Ham, could be Solanke finding his form and confidence - which his impudent second illustrated. He will now go into the final three games against Manchester City, Southampton and Everton buoyant and being feared by defenders, rather than being seen as an easy opponent.

It would have been easy to give the award to Solanke, but the only player who threatened for Bournemouth before the goal and whose quality got them in a position to pressurise Leicester was Brooks.

The Wales international has been sorely missed by Eddie Howe after being sidelined by ankle ligament injury but this was his most damaging game of the season and Leicester struggled to deal with him either crossing from the right flank or moving into the number ten role and feeding his team's strikers.

Bournemouth: Ramsdale 7, Stacey 6, Ake 7, Kelly 5, Rico 6, BROOKS 8*, Gosling 4, Lerma 6, Danjuma 5, Solanke 8, Wilson 6. Subs: Cook 6, Stanislas 8, Billing 6, Cook 6, Surridge 6.

Leicester: Schmeichel 5, Soyuncu 4, Evans 4, Fuchs 5, Justin 7, Ndidi 6, Tielemans 6, Albrighton 6, Vardy 7, Iheanacho 7. Subs: Bennett 6, Praet 5, Barnes 7.

23' GOAL! It was coming. Perez plays in Iheanacho whose squared ball Kelly tries to back flick away, only succeeding in dropping the ball at Vardy's feet and he slides it home ahead of the drinks break.

64' PENALTY FOR BOURNEMOUTH! This was not coming. Schmeichel's awful clearance hits Ndidi's back and then the midfielder brings down Wilson in the box.

65' GOAL! Stanislas puts the ball down the middle as Schmeichel dives to his right.

67' GOAL! Bournemouth go in front. Incredible. Solanke is given freedom down the inside left channel and his shot squeezes under Schmeichel.

68' And Soyuncu is sent off! He kicks out at Wilson who, for no real reason, was trying to quickly retrieve the ball from the net. He pushed Soyuncu and then the Foxes defender booted the striker.

83' GOAL! Stanislas cuts in from the right flank and drives wide of the far post and Johnny Evans sticks out a legs and diverts past Schmeichel.

87' GOAL! Superb play from Solanke. Nipping outside of Bennett and then nudging the ball coolly past Schmeichel for a fourth.

38 - The number of games Dominic Solanke played for Bournemouth before finding the net.

36 - The number of attempts at goal Solanke had in the Premier League for Bournemouth before finding the net.