Everton threw away another two points but at least got off the mark this season by preserving one in sodden conditions at the King Power Stadium.

The Blues were a goal up through Iliman Ndiaye’s fine strike and in control when the heavens opened in the later stages of the first half and Sean Dyche’s team gradually lost their grip on the contest, eventually being undone by yet more poor set-piece defending.

With players missing through injury, illness and compassionate leave, Dyche had to patch together a side from those available, with Ashley Young deployed at left-back and James Garner as an emergency full-back on the other side while there were first Premier League starts for Jesper Lindstrøm wide on the right and Orel Mangala in the centre alongside Abdoulaye Doucouré.

Everton made a bright start and should have been ahead inside four minutes when Ndiaye whipped a ball in from the left that eluded Dominic Calvert-Lewin but Lindstrøm met on the volley, only to steer it wide.

The opening goal came just eight minutes later, though, thanks to a fine, defence-splitting ball from Young that Ndiaye collected, feinted onto his right foot and then screwed a shot off the inside of the post and into the goal from the edge of the box.

With their tails up, the visitors looked a good bet to increase their lead, with Lindstrøm providing a threat down the flank and in behind. After Calvert-Lewin’s shot had been blocked, the Dane rifled the rebound goal-wards but Mads Hermansen parried it away.

Jordan Pickford avoided embarrassment when he flapped Stephy Mavididi’s cross against his post and managed to keep it out but that was as close as the unconvincing Foxes would come to scoring in the first half.

Instead, it was Everton who almost added to the scoreline, first when Dwight McNeil dropped the ball over the top for Calvert-Lewin but the striker wasn’t awarded anything by the atrocious Darren England despite clearly being bundled over in the “D”.

Then, the impressive Mangala played Lindstrøm in on the right side of the box but, having engineered space for a shot, he sliced the ball high and wide of the target and McNeil ended the first period with an even better chance when Ndiaye put him into space but he dragged his effort across goal and off target.

With rain and hail still lashing down as the delayed second half began, the Blues appeared to pick up where they left off in the first half and more dazzling footwork by Ndiaye eventually created room for a shot from the angle but he scooped it over.

And, on the hour mark, Lindstrøm knocked it superbly past Wout Faes and ran into space behind the centre-half but his attempt to find the open Ndiaye was deflected by a crucial sliding intervention from a defender and the chance was lost.

Leicester, who had been poor throughout began to come into the game, though, as Everton appeared to tire and become more ragged, particularly in midfield and down their right flank after Lindstrøm had been withdrawn in favour of Jack Harrison.

Jordan Ayew hooked a decent chance over, Harry Winks missed from 25 yards with an attempted curler and Caleb Okoli really should have levelled with a free header but he couldn’t keep his header down from a couple of yards out.

In between, Calvert-Lewin had tested Hermansen with a strong shot after McNeil had picked him out with a threaded pass but after Garner had conceded back-to-back corners, the visitors finally succumbed from a dead-ball situation.

Facundo Buonanotte swung in the set-piece, the ball bounced off Wilfried Ndidi as Michael Keane and James Tarkowski jumped into each other and fell to Mavididi who fired it into the ground and high into the net to wipe out Everton’s latest lead.

Ndidi might have won it but drilled wide from 20 yards and Buonanotte nearly did as Dyche’s side threatened to melt in the pouring rain but, thankfully, the Argentine’s shot struck Keane on its way to goal and the ball was eventually cleared to safety.

The last chance fell to Calvert-Lewin deep into stoppage time but his finish was disappointing and the Toffees had to be content with a draw.

Dyche will now prepare for the visit of Crystal Palace next weekend hoping to have a few more players back to build on this result.

Though they finally registered their first point of the season and there was some encouraging attacking moments, Everton have now dropped eight from winning positions so far and their defending remains a cause for deep concern.