Win over Reds is reaction to criticism: Vardy
LEICESTER: Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy is hoping to fire regularly after his brace in Monday’s 3-1 victory over Liverpool helped the struggling champions end their five-game losing streak in the Premier League.
Vardy, who scored 24 league goals during Leicester’s titlewinning campaign last year, has been far from his prolific best this season, managing nine goals across competitions so far.
The 30-year-old also scored in back-to-back games for the first time since September, having netted in Leicester’s 2-1 Champions League loss at Spanish side Seville last week.
“I’ve been very frustrated with the amount of goals I’ve got this season but hopefully those two can push me on and hopefully there will be a lot to follow,” Vardy told British media.
Leicester have been in a turmoil after media reports suggested a players’ revolt led to Claudio Ranieri’s sacking on Thursday, nine months after the manager led the club to the league title.
Vardy, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and winger Marc Albrighton have since denied the allegations.
“We’ve come under a lot of unfair stick with the stuff that’s been in the press,” Vardy said.
“What you’ve seen out there is a reaction from the lads, the performance showed exactly that. Now it’s down to us to do that consistently moving forward.”
Leicester, who are 15th in the table and two points above the bottom three with 12 games remaining, host relegation rivals Hull City on Saturday.
SHAKESPEARE TIPPED TO REPLACE RANIERI
Craig Shakespeare is the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Claudio Ranieri as manager of Leicester City after taking charge of Monday’s impressive victory over Liverpool.
Assistant coach since 2011, Shakespeare is now 5-4 favourite ahead of Dutchman Guus Hiddink, former England manager Roy Hodgson and Nigel Pearson the man who was succeeded by Ranieri.
“It appears that the shortlist for Leicester manager is down to four with Craig Shakespeare leading the way following Leicester’s victory over Liver pool,” a spokesman for book makers William Hill said on Tuesday. As job interviews go Shakespeare could hardly have done better on Monday as cham pion Leicester produced their best display of the season in the Premier League.
“I have said before that, do I think I’m capable of it? Yes. Does it faze me? No,” Shakespeare said. “But I think it is the powers that-be, the owners, who decide and do their job, it is their dili gence to look. I am sure they wil do that.”