Brendan Rodgers’ problems in the “new” season continued at Goodison Park where not even a vastly improved second-half showing could salvage a point for Leicester.
For all but one September weekend since the end of August, the Foxes have occupied a place in the Premier League’s top four.
But with in-form Manchester United and Wolves rapidly gaining ground, City could actually drop out of the Champions League places as early as Saturday should results, and goal difference, go badly against them.
Two goals inside the opening 16 minutes set up this latest setback for Rodgers, post-lockdown – two draws and two defeats from the Foxes’ four games to date.
The second was the dagger blow, after 12 minutes, and came from a VAR penalty, the first spot-kick Everton have been awarded this season, a run without one that dated back 38 games until Lucas Digne’s free-kick caused problems in the visitors’ area.
Wilfred Ndidi rose with Michael Keane, both of whom had arms raised, and the video assistant required three minutes of replays to determine that the Leicester midfielder was the offending party.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, who converted Everton’s most recent successful league penalty on Boxing Day 2018, nonchalantly sent Kasper Schmeichel the wrong way and rolled the ball into the open net.
The penalty doubled a lead handed the hosts after 10 minutes thanks to an effective piece of wing play by 19-year-old Anthony Gordon.
Recalled, after impressing on his full debut against Liverpool last month, the teenager sprinted down the left after gathering Lucas Digne’s header.
He showed great presence, plus speed of foot and thought, to pull the ball back for the fast-arriving Richarlison to ram home an unstoppable finish from eight yards.
On an evening which had started with Everton in 12th place, the start to the game had made manager Carlo Ancelotti’s claims that a European place was still within his team’s reach suddenly look all the more plausible.
They might have looked even more so a few moments later when Dominic Calvert-Lewin sprinted into the area where he was halted by a shoulder barge from Caglar Soyuncu which the home side felt should have resulted in another penalty.
But the situation was not yet terminal for Leicester and Harvey Barnes might have helped his side gain a foothold with a sumptuous cross, struck with the outside of his boot, but Marc Albrighton failed to control just before the break.
That was enough to prompt Rodgers to throw on Kelechi Iheanacho and James Maddison at the interval.
And, although the opening minutes of the second half could have finished off Leicester once and for all, after Digne’s deflected 30-yard shot flew inches wide, the visitors were soon back in contention.
The goal was fortunate, but no more than City deserved, as Vardy touched on a dangerous Youri Tielemans cross after 51 minutes.
Mason Holgate thought he had made a decisive intervention but succeeded only in kicking the ball against Iheanacho who knew little about his ninth goal of the season as the ball ricocheted off him and into the net.
Everton’s position was not helped a few moments later when Richarlison was forced off the field, having been caught accidentally by Ndidi.
It was the start of a dominant spell from Leicester, enhanced when Keane and Jordan Pickford almost contrived to turn the ball into their own net after a mix-up.
Pickford was even shakier in dealing with a Marc Albrighton cross, dropping it at the feet of Iheanacho who wasted a superb chance, shooting over from six yards.
Ancelotti threw on Yerry Mina and played five at the back but still Leicester dominated, the lively Iheanacho setting himself top for a shot from the edge of the area which Pickford smothered.
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