Leicester City missed out on a chance to move up to second in the Premier League on Wednesday night as they suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Everton.

A goal in either half from Richarlison and Mason Holgate secured a deserved win for the Toffees, taking them to within a point of the East Midlanders, who still remain in the top four.

After a disappointing night at the King Power Stadium, Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers gave his thoughts on the outcome of the game to the media.

On his side's performance

After back-to-back wins over Sheffield United and Brighton & Hove Albion, it looked to be that Leicester were gaining some momentum ahead of a tricky Christmas schedule that will see them face off against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, however they were brought back down to earth with defeat on Wednesday.

Including the likes of Cengiz Under and Harvey Barnes from the off, Rodgers looked to attack Carlo Ancelotti's side from the off, but there seemed to be a cutting edge missing from Leicester's play - something the Northern Irishman was left disappointed by.

He said: "We looked to pick an attacking team, but it didn't happen for us. I can't fault the players' commitment. Frustrated is the word tonight."

On the penalty shout

The game could have had a potentially different ending after Leicester were awarded a penalty when Ayoze Perez was adjudged to have been brought down in the box by Andre Gomes.

After being consulted by officials to check the VAR on-screen monitor, referee Lee Mason believed Gomes had made sufficient contact on the ball and overturned his decision - a choice that Rodgers didn't agree with.

He said: "I haven’t spoken to him (referee Lee Mason) but it was a surprise. He’s been asked to look at it again. The image he was looking at isn’t the one that clearly shows Ayoze Perez got the touch."

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On Wilfred Ndidi 

With options at centre-back short due to the absences of Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu, Rodgers was forced to assemble yet another makeshift defence for Wednesday's game.

Tenacious midfielder Wilfred Ndidi swapped his usual defensive midfield role for a place in the heart of the back four - a role he has already played this season for the Foxes to accommodate their injury troubles - and the Leicester boss was impressed with performance.

Rodgers said: "You know we’ve struggled with injuries to defenders. I thought the two centre backs were outstanding. You’d think Wilf had played there all his career."

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On home form

For all of Leicester's excitement this season, one cloud has loomed over the East Midlands this year - the club's home form.

What was their biggest aid in the 2015-16 title-winning campaign, the Foxes' struggles at home have seen them lose four of their seven league games at the King Power Stadium this season - scoring just one goal in those four defeats.

Each of those defeats have also come to side's lower than Leicester in the table and it's a problem that Rodgers wants rectifying as the season goes on.

The 47-year-old said: "We need to be better, there’s no getting away from it. We need greater quality at home. Hopefully that will come as the season goes on. We can’t deny we have to be better."

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On the return of key players

Despite the result, there was some fresh optimism as Leicester now prepare for their trip to the capital this weekend to face a high-flying Tottenham side.

Whilst Jonny Evans will be expected to return from suspension, there will also be more defensive reinforcement as Timothy Castagne looks set to make his first appearance in eight weeks following a hamstring injury.

"He should be fine for Sunday,” Rodgers said. “We hoped to have him on the bench and to get some minutes in his legs tonight but the medical team deemed that he was probably best missing, and then he’ll be ready for the weekend."

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