Leicester players smile again in emotional return
The smiles returned briefly to the faces of Leicester City’s players yesterday following the most traumatic week of their careers.
In their first game since the death of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in a helicopter crash last weekend, Leicester won an emotional and highly-charged English Premier League match at Cardiff City 1-0.
“That was a tough game, not just on the pitch, but mentally,” goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said. “I’m proud of this team and the club. The way everyone has handled themselves has been unbelievable.”
James Milner scored his 50th league goal as Liverpool drew 1-1 at Arsenal to move a point clear of second-placed Manchester City, who hosted Southampton overnight.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho called himself “the luckiest manager in the Premier League” after his side scored a 92nd-minute goal to win 2-1 at Bournemouth. Mourinho called his team’s first-half display a “disaster”.
Tottenham took a 3-0 lead after an hour at Wolverhampton but endured a nervy finish in a 3-2 victory after 20-year-old centre back Juan Foyth, making his Premier League debut, gave away two penalties.
All White Chris Wood scored his first Premier League goal of the season, heading in Burnley’s second equaliser in the 77th minute, five minutes after getting off the bench. But West Ham scored two late goals to win 4-2.
In other results, Newcastle claimed their first league win in 11 games by defeating Watford 1-0 and Everton downed Brighton 3-1.
● The tears shed by Schmeichel summed up the mood at Cardiff as a huge banner, a Thai flag with “RIP Vichai” and the Leicester badge, was unfurled before the game. Schmeichel and his teammates put aside their grief to grind out a victory.
Demarai Gray scored with a low finish in the 55th minute and celebrated by removing his jersey to reveal an undershirt which read “For Khun Vichai”. He was booked by referee Lee Probert.
The Leicester fans sang Vichai’s name for the rest of the afternoon and, at the final whistle, the visiting players came together to embrace.
“We were very close to the chairman,” Leicester captain Wes Morgan said. “We know what his wishes were. He used to come down at home games, have a joke and a laugh, always say, ‘Want win and three points’. It’s not been an easy week, we had to try and hold our emotions in today and do the best we could.” ● Liverpool and Arsenal both had a first-half goal disallowed for offside in an entertaining clash at Emirates Stadium. Milner eventually gave Liverpool the lead on the hour after goalkeeper Bernd Leno spilled a cross but Alexandre Lacazette equalised with a curling shot in the 82nd minute after good work by the impressive Alex Iwobi.
“A point is a good result,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said. “When Arsenal chase the game, they throw everyone on the pitch, which is really cool, and we were not as compact as I wanted.”
● Callum Wilson gave Bournemouth an early lead but United hit back against the run of play with a goal from Anthony Martial, his fifth in five games, in the 35th minute.
Substitute Marcus Rashford scored the late winner after a surging run down the left and a pinpoint cross from Paul Pogba.