They think it’s all over – but it’s not yet. Leicester kept the Premier League title race alive here by plundering a win in stoppage time, Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal keeping Brendan Rodgers’ side within striking distance of Liverpool. Yes, eight points is within striking distance for this impressive Leicester side, who have now scored more goals and conceded fewer than Liverpool this season.

As for Marco Silva’s reign at Everton, maybe that will be over soon. His position is expected to be discussed on Monday but if the Portuguese is sacked, it will not be because of this performance. Everton played well, forcing Leicester to show all of their resourcefulness to dig out a victory. Six wins on the trot represents Leicester’s best run since 1962-63. They finished fourth that season but are a good bet to do better this. The champions back then, by the way, were Everton. A repeat of that is not on the cards any time soon, even if they did well here, taking the lead through Richarlison before Jamie Vardy and Iheanacho hit back for hosts who never stop believing.

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“It was a really harsh result for us, for 60-65 minutes we were the best team,” remarked Silva, who said he would not waste time thinking about the implications for his continued employment. “I’m not the right person to ask about that. I know what is my job. Tomorrow will be another day for me to prepare another training session.”

Given the respective form of the teams going into this game, it seemed as if an Everton win would require something close to miraculous. One might have thought that Silva’s strategy, with a new three-man central defence, smacked of a Hail Mary. But in fairness to the beleaguered manager, it turned out to have been immaculately conceived. Leicester struggled for long periods to find openings in the visitors’ defence. Everton’s players certainly did not lie down to sacrifice their manager, applying the gameplan with dynamism and discipline. “I never had doubts about that,” Silva said.

His team also carried a threat on the counterattack and he could take satisfaction in the eighth minute from seeing his wing-backs combine to dangerous effect, with Lucas Digne crossing from the left for Djibril Sidibé, whose shot from the edge of the box whizzed just over the bar.

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Leicester have not been accustomed to being blunted and outgunned this season. They started to pass and move faster in an effort to unhinge Everton. Ayoze Pérez registered their first shot on target in the 10th minute but it was a weak effort. Pérez did better moments later, skedaddling between Michael Keane and Yerry Mina before firing just past the far post.

Mostly, though, Everton absorbed the hosts’ pressure well. Then they took the lead with a fine attack.

It began with a throw-in in their own half. Richarlison received it on the left, flipping the ball off to a teammate and scampering forward. When Alex Iwobi slid it out to Sidibé on the other flank, the Frenchman delivered a splendid cross and Richarlison darted in front of Ricardo Pereira and directed a terrific header beyond Kasper Schmeichel from 10 yards.

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“We went behind and that’s when you see the mentality and quality of your team,” said Rodgers. Mina had to make two excellent blocks to prevent an equaliser, denying Pérez and Jonny Evans.

But Leicester kept coming and in the 33rd minute they thought they had the perfect opportunity to draw level when the referee pointed to the spot after Ben Chilwell went down following a wild swing by Mason Holgate. The defender missed the ball and forced Chilwell to take evasive action – but apparently that did not justify a penalty according to the VAR official, who advised the referee to overturn the original decision.

Everton were first to threaten in the second half, Keane going close from a corner by Gylfi Sigurdsson. That drew a sharp retort from Leicester, Wilfred Ndidi winning the ball in midfield before offloading to Pereira, who charged forward before drilling a low shot goalwards. Jordan Pickford tipped it wide.

Rodgers replaced Pérez with Iheanacho on the hour, instructing the newcomer to play closer to Vardy. Within six minutes the change paid off, as Iheanacho collected a pass from Ndidi and crossed low for Vardy to tap in from close range.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Richarlison heads beyond Kasper Schmeichel to give Everton the half-time lead. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images

With Leicester pressing for the win, the Everton substitute Moise Kean came close to scoring on the counterattack, his chip from 20 yards narrowly missing the target. Most of the action was at the other end, however, with Leicester attacking in waves. Their relentlessness was rewarded in stoppage time, when Pereira stormed forward and fed Iheanacho, who finished smartly.

The goal was originally disallowed for offside but this time VAR intervened in Leicester’s favour, ruling that Iheanacho was onside thanks to the position of Mina’s knee. Sometimes a match, a title race and a manager’s future can come down to fine margins.