Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez roll back the years as Leicester add to Tottenham's title woes

Leicester City 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1: Harry Kane clawed one back but the hosts held on for all three points

Tim Nash
King Power Stadium
Tuesday 28 November 2017 22:12 GMT
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Leicester's players celebrate after doubling their lead against Spurs
Leicester's players celebrate after doubling their lead against Spurs (Getty)

Jamie Vardy's 100th League goal piled on Tottenham's Premier League frustrations against a determined Leicester City.

Vardy struck a devastating early blow to show the Foxes' intentions before Riyad Mahrez doubled their lead, only for Harry Kane to ensure a nervous finish for Claude Puel's side.

Victory for Leicester made it three Premier League games without a win for Spurs, who improved markedly after the break and rained pressure on the Foxes goal.

Tottenham were denied what appeared to be a certain penalty at the death when Danny Rose was caught by Wilfred Ndidi.


 Vardy put the side ahead with his well-taken lob 
 (Getty)

Leicester looked to take the initiative from the first whistle, and a towering header by Wes Morgan was hooked off the line by Rose from Marc Albrighton's corner.

The Foxes continued to look to catch Spurs on the counter attack and took the lead with a move of simple brilliance in the 12th minute.

Marc Albrighton sent Vardy through into the space between defenders Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier. The England striker showed superb awareness to produce a stretching volley which gave Hugo Lloris no chance.

Tottenham looked to respond and Kane put Moussa Sissoko in on goal but the France international saw his shot superbly blocked by the legs of Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester midfielder Iborra was having an outstanding night and he showed Kane the way in the 26th minute when his volley bounced a couple of feet wide after some dazzling footwork on the right from Mahrez.

Mahrez curls in Leicester's second with a delicious strike (Getty)

Counter-attacking was looking the best route to goal and Spurs looked to create one of their own from a Leicester corner in the 32nd minute.

Christian Eriksen surged forwards and with Kane in hot pursuit to his right and Dele Alli beyond him, he chose the latter but the England international failed to connect properly and his effort rolled wide.

Leicester went close to a second goal from an unexpected source on 33 when Rose's clearance from Vardy's cross drifted inches the wrong side of Lloris's post.

Claude Puel's side went close again when left back Ben Chilwell's glancing header sailed just wide from Mahrez's curling free kick.

Leicester deservedly made it 2-0 with another brilliant goal in time added on at the end of the first half.

Mahrez took a short pass from Ndidi and, with Rose caught out of position, cut inside, exposing Jan Vertonghen.

Danny Rose reacts after a missed opportunity on goal (Getty)

The Belgian defender continued to back off and Mahrez's punishment was ruthless as he unleashed a fabulous curling shot which ripped past Lloris into the top corner of the net.

Leicester should have made it 3-0 in the 55th minute. A slaloming run from Chilwell took him past two challenges and from Vardy's cross whipped in fiercely from the right, Shinji Okazaki could only glance over from a free header.

Spurs forward Eric Lamela, who had been out of action for 399 days after surgery on both hips, came off the bench to clinical effect in the 77th minute.

Within a minute of his arrival, the Argentinian had escaped his marker to accept Son's pass and find Kane, who fired into the roof of the net to half the deficit.

Spurs' frustrations were complete when they were denied a penalty in time added on after substitute Fernando Llorente produced a glaring late miss in front of goal.

Leicester (4-4-1-1): Schmeichel 7; Simpson 7, Morgan 7, Maguire 8, Chilwell 8; Mahrez 8 (Gray 77 mins 6), Ndidi 7, Iborra 8, Albrighton 7; Okazaki 7; Vardy 8.

Subs not used: King, Hamer, Dragovic, Amartey, Slimani, Choudhury.

Tottenham (3-4-3): Lloris 6; Dier 6, Sanchez 6, Vertonghen 6; Aurier 6, Sissoko 6 (Son 57 mins, 6), Dembele 6 (Llorente 69, 6), Rose 6; Eriksen 6 (Lamela 77, 7), Alli 6, Kane 6.

Subs not used: Trippier, Vorm, Foyth, Davies.

Referee: Anthony Taylor.

Attendance: 31,950.

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