Vardy keeps Leicester on top, Arsenal stutter
MANCHESTER, England (AP): JAMIE VARDY’S stunning volley set Leicester on their way to a 2-0 victory over Liverpool yesterday, keeping the unlikely title challengers top of the Premier League on a night Manchester United rediscovered their scoring touch at Old Trafford.
Manchester City and Tottenham also won to stay in touch with Leicester, but Arsenal were held 0-0 by Southampton and dropped to fourth place.
Leicester preserved their three-point lead over City and their title charge shows no sign of slowing – nor does Vardy’s prolific form this season.
The England striker volleyed in a looping shot from 25 metres before adding another goal in the second half to sink Liverpool at King Power Stadium and take his tally to 18 this campaign.
“We are free of pressure,” Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri said. “The players have a good feeling.”
United beat Stoke 3-0, scoring in the first half at home for the first time since September. Jesse Lingard, Anthony Martial, and Wayne Rooney – with his seventh goal in his last seven games – scored for United, which trimmed the gap to the Champions League qualification places to five points.
Criticised for much of the sea- son for their risk-averse attacking approach, United have scored six goals in their last two games.
Sergio Agüero was the match winner for City in a 1-0 victory at Sunderland in the team’s first game since announcing the hiring of Pep Guardiola as coach starting next season. Agüero looks back to his sharpest, having scored eight goals in as many games in 2016.
DOUBLE FROM HARRY KANE
Tottenham won 3-0 at Norwich thanks to a double from Harry Kane and another goal from young midfielder Dele Alli. The win lifted Spurs to third, above north London neighbour Arsenal on goal difference.
Also, Aston Villa had forward Jordan Ayew sent off in the 17th minute for elbowing an opponent in a 2-0 loss at West Ham, which left the league’s last-place team 10 points adrift of safety. West Bromwich Albion scored two minutes into injury time to draw 1-1 against Swansea, and Bournemouth won 2-1 at Crystal Palace.
With 14 games left this campaign, Leicester are closing in on a Champions League qualification place –the team is 10 points clear of United – and must now be seen as a definite title contender.