Leicester City 0-2 Everton: Richarlison and Holgate give Toffees the win
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Richarlison's goal was his first in seven Premier League games and his fifth in all competitions this season
Everton scored in each half to beat fellow Champions League hopefuls Leicester and move back into the top five of the Premier League.
The visitors took the lead as Richarlison cut in from the left before beating Kasper Schmeichel with a low strike for his second Premier League goal of the season.
Moments later Jamie Vardy headed straight at Robin Olsen, making his second appearance of the season after Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti again rotated his goalkeepers, dropping England keeper Jordan Pickford to the bench.
The Toffees lost impressive midfielder Allan to what looked a hamstring injury just before the interval and Leicester pressed for an equaliser early in the second half.
But the early season leaders doubled their advantage from a corner, with Schmeichel making a fine double save only for defender Mason Holgate to stab in the rebound for his first Everton goal.
Leicester were then awarded a penalty for an Andre Gomes foul on fellow substitute Ayoze Perez but referee Lee Mason reversed his decision after viewing the pitchside monitor.
Perez also had a goal disallowed for offside as Leicester missed the chance to go top of the table.
Everton are now a point behind fourth-placed Leicester after winning their past two - both games missed by their star summer signing James Rodriguez because of a calf injury.
Are the Foxes genuine title contenders?
Brendan Rodgers says Leicester City 'should have had a penalty' against Everton
Approaching two years in charge, boss Brendan Rodgers has already turned Leicester from a mid-table side into Champions League hopefuls.
This time last year they were second in the Premier League and looked the only side capable of reeling in runaway leaders Liverpool.
But their collapse over the second half of last season started over the festive period, culminating in missing out on Champions League qualification on the final day.
This game, and the next two against Tottenham and Manchester United, offered an opportunity for Rodgers' young side to show they are now capable of staying the distance and challenging for the title.
They made a bright start, with Youri Tielemans firing just wide from Vardy's lay-off, but Everton gradually took control and Schmeichel should have done better when he pushed Richarlison's 20-yard strike into the bottom corner.
Vardy wasted a great chance to hit straight back as he headed James Justin's cross straight at Olsen, but Leicester only had one more shot on target.
Tielemans and James Maddison fired off target early in the second half before Leicester were again undone at a set-piece. This season they have conceded more goals from corners than any other Premier League side (seven).
That must be addressed if they are to establish themselves as genuine title contenders - or will they be content to continue their progress this year by ensuring they do clinch a top-four finish?
Another clean sheet despite resting Pickford
Kasper Schmeichel made this save from Dominic Calvert-Lewin before Mason Holgate scored from the rebound
Many had called for Pickford to be taken out of the line of fire when he was dropped to the bench after a tough spell in October.
Ancelotti made it clear that it was not a permanent demotion, saying he still trusted Pickford and was "used to rotating the goalkeepers".
And the Italian proved that by switching them again after Saturday's win over Chelsea, when Pickford continued his return to form by helping Everton keep their first clean sheet in the Premier League since the opening weekend of the season.
After his side struggled to adjust to the loss of influential full-backs Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne to injury, Ancelotti experimented with a back three but has now shored up his defence after switching to a flat back four.
Olsen had to kick the ball clear early on as Everton almost played themselves into trouble, but otherwise the Sweden international was well protected.
That steady back four also provided the platform for the Toffees to threaten going forward, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin twice going close in the first half.
Holgate then pounced for the second goal immediately after Michael Keane and Calvert-Lewin were denied, before Gylfi Sigurdsson fired over as the Toffees secured a second straight victory and clean sheet.
Everton have ensured the momentum from their fine start has not been lost and, just shy of his first anniversary at Goodison Park, Ancelotti aims to follow Rodgers' lead by turning his side into Champions League contenders.
'We're where we want to be' - what they said
Carlo Ancelotti says Richarlison was 'worried' about his form before goal at Leicester
Everton boss Ancelotti: "It's been a good week. We've found consistency defensively and that was the reason for these two results.
"It keeps us with a lot of confidence, a lot of ambition and a lot of motivation. The season is long but at the moment it's good.
"We are now where we want to be, to fight for a position in Europe. If the season finished today we'd be in European competition. We still have to fight but the spirit in the team is good."
On Richarlison scoring: "He was a bit worried when he didn't score in the past games but the work that he's done, even though he didn't score, was really important for us."
On Olsen starting: "It's good to keep him involved because he's a serious professional. He's a good goalkeeper with experience, but Saturday will be Jordan [Pickford] in goal."
Leicester boss Rodgers: "It's a frustrating result for us. I think we put a lot of effort and ambition into the game but we conceded two disappointing goals, from our perspective.
"The first one it was too easy for him to get the shot off and then the set-piece is unfortunate because he slips when he's marking Holgate, after Kasper makes a great save.
"We made some chances but didn't show enough quality in the final third. I think we should have had a penalty. The referee made the right decision yet somehow overturns it.
"The players have been very good up to this point [this season] but there's going to be games where we need to show that bit more."
Few home comforts for Foxes and corner concerns - the stats
None of the past 11 Premier League meetings between Leicester and Everton has ended level, with Everton winning six.
Leicester have lost four of their seven home league games this season, as many as they did last season (four).
Leicester have conceded seven goals from corners this season in league action, two more than in the whole of last season.
Each of Everton's previous eight away wins in the Premier League came by a one-goal margin, with this the first win by a larger margin since a 2-0 victory at West Ham in March 2019.
Richarlison has scored four Premier League goals against Leicester, his joint-most against any opponent in the competition (also four against Wolves).
Mason Holgate scored his first Premier League goal in his 69th appearance, with his 25th shot in the competition.
What's next?
Everton host Arsenal on Saturday (17:30 GMT) before facing Manchester United in the EFL Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday (20:00).
Leicester visit Tottenham on Sunday (14:15), followed by a home game with Manchester United on 26 December (12:30).
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