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Youri Tielemans made his first Premier League start since 7 November following a calf injuryYouri Tielemans scored twice as Leicester City bounced back from their Europa League exit to earn an emphatic Premier League victory over Newcastle United at the King Power Stadium.
Making his first Premier League start since 7 November following a calf injury, Tielemans converted a 38th-minute penalty after Jamaal Lascelles was adjudged to have brought down James Maddison.
A quality attacking move, initiated by Maddison's sublime pass for Harvey Barnes using the outside of his boot, resulted in a simple finish for Patson Daka as the Foxes moved out of sight in the second half.
After Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel did brilliantly to sprint back and prevent a Timothy Castagne own-goal, Tielemans was set up by Maddison for his second before the England midfielder got the goal his impressive performance deserved with five minutes remaining.
Brendan Rodgers' side - eliminated from the Europa League group stage with a 3-2 defeat by Napoli on Thursday - move up to eighth in the table after only a second victory in seven league games.
Newcastle, meanwhile, remain in the relegation places and three points from safety.
Maddison stars as Leicester finally earn clean sheet
While there is plenty of time for Rodgers to discover what the Europa Conference League is following their midweek European disappointment, the immediate concern was to address his side's porous defence after a week in which the Leicester boss was once again left to rue defensive "naivety".
A squad already depleted by illness was dealt an immediate blow in that regard, as centre-back Jonny Evans was forced off with a hamstring injury six minutes into his 100th Premier League appearance for the club - leaving Wilfred Ndidi to assume the role of makeshift centre-back.
Despite that setback the Foxes registered a first clean sheet in 17 matches in all competitions against a Newcastle side which managed just three shots on target, though Castagne was indebted to Schmeichel's heroic goal-saving clearance.
In the absence of top scorer Jamie Vardy, rested after playing the full 90 minutes in Naples, it was Maddison who made the difference for the hosts in attack.
Though Newcastle will feel aggrieved over the penalty - awarded after Maddison darted into the box and connected with Lascelles' outstretched leg - the visitors' defence was left helpless by slick Leicester play in the second half.
The Foxes, whose aspirations of improving on consecutive fifth-place finishes had begun to fade following an inconsistent start, appeared back to their ruthless best as they produced three quality goals to move within six points of the top four.
Maddison followed up his pivotal role in Daka's goal by unselfishly teeing up Tielemans for the Belgian's second, before exchanging passes with Daka to score late on.
Relieved to see the end of their 14-game winless start against fellow bottom-three side Burnley last weekend, a Newcastle side keen to maintain momentum initially harried an uncertain Leicester defence but Miguel Almiron fired into the side netting and the Paraguayan again failed to capitalise after robbing Caglar Soyuncu of possession early on.
That first win appears of even greater significance when placed in the context of the fixtures awaiting Eddie Howe's side before the end of the year - with matches against Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United to follow this heavy defeat.
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Leicester City
Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
Squad number27Player nameCastagne
Squad number6Player nameEvans
Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
Squad number33Player nameThomas
Squad number8Player nameTielemans
Squad number25Player nameNdidi
Squad number10Player nameMaddison
Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
Squad number7Player nameBarnes
Squad number29Player nameDaka
Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton
Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Squad number49Player nameMcAteer
Newcastle United
Squad number1Player nameDúbravka
Squad number19Player nameManquillo
Squad number5Player nameSchär
Squad number6Player nameLascelles
Squad number12Player nameLewis
Squad number24Player nameAlmirón
Squad number8Player nameShelvey
Squad number28Player nameWillock
Squad number10Player nameSaint-Maximin
Squad number9Player nameWilson
Squad number7Player nameJoelinton
Squad number11Player nameRitchie
Squad number21Player nameFraser
Squad number23Player nameMurphy
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 27CastagneBooked at 11mins
- 6EvansSubstituted forSoumaréat 6'minutes
- 4SöyüncüBooked at 64mins
- 33Thomas
- 8Tielemans
- 25Ndidi
- 10MaddisonSubstituted forMcAteerat 88'minutes
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 7BarnesSubstituted forAlbrightonat 71'minutes
- 29Daka
Substitutes
- 5Bertrand
- 9Vardy
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 42Soumaré
- 45Nelson
- 49McAteer
- 62Brunt
Newcastle
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Dúbravka
- 19ManquilloBooked at 70mins
- 5Schär
- 6Lascelles
- 12LewisBooked at 24minsSubstituted forMurphyat 62'minutes
- 24AlmirónSubstituted forFraserat 62'minutes
- 8ShelveySubstituted forRitchieat 85'minutes
- 28Willock
- 10Saint-MaximinBooked at 90mins
- 9Wilson
- 7Joelinton
Substitutes
- 11Ritchie
- 14Hayden
- 16Hendrick
- 17Krafth
- 18Fernández
- 21Fraser
- 23Murphy
- 26Darlow
- 34Gayle
Referee:Peter Bankes
Attendance:31,959
Live Text
Match ends, Leicester City 4, Newcastle United 0.
Second Half ends, Leicester City 4, Newcastle United 0.
Attempt saved. Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United) header from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jacob Murphy with a cross.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Jamaal Lascelles.
Attempt blocked. Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United).
Patson Daka (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Leicester City. Kasey McAteer replaces James Maddison.
Attempt blocked. Javier Manquillo (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jacob Murphy.
Goal! Leicester City 4, Newcastle United 0. James Maddison (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Patson Daka.
Substitution, Newcastle United. Matt Ritchie replaces Jonjo Shelvey.
Attempt blocked. Joseph Willock (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Goal! Leicester City 3, Newcastle United 0. Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by James Maddison following a fast break.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Javier Manquillo.
Foul by Joelinton (Newcastle United).
Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Fabian Schär (Newcastle United).
Luke Thomas (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
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