HE SHOOTS, HE SOARS
Jet-propelled Jamie Vardy scores for eighth game in a row
ANEW club record for Leicester, another goal closer to his own record for Jamie Var d y, another indication that Aston Villa need to change the record if they are to avoid a long relegation battle.
This was Leicester’s eighth consecutive league win — something they had never achieved before in the top flight — and the eighth game in a row in which Vardy has scored. Extend that run by four, and Vardy will surpass his own 11-game scoring streak, set in the title-winning year of 2015-16.
The picture remains rosy for Leicester, who are once more eight points behind Liverpool but now six clear of Manchester City and nine above Chelsea. Thanks to two goals from Vardy and strikes by Kelechi Iheanacho — on his first league start of the campaign — and Jonny Evans, their claim to a
Champions League spot grows stronger. Jack Grealish’s strike in first-half stoppage time gave Villa hope, but only briefly. There were even a few boos at full time.
Whisper it, but at this stage of the season, Brendan Rodgers’ team look even more impressive than the side who won the title under Claudio Ranieri in 2016 and wrote one of the greatest stories in the history of the game.
That group relied on a rugged defence, protected by the extraordinary N’Golo Kante, and used the flair of Riyad Mahrez and the pace of Vardy to punish teams on the break. This squad have many more strings to their bow, and their Boxing Day clash with Liverpool at King Power Stadium is a hugely enticing prospect.
Dean Smith’s team, meanwhile, showed worrying traits: a wasteful attack and a leaky defence. They also lost Tyrone Mings to what looked like a hamstring injury, and the delay to his substitution contributed to Vardy’s opener.
Villa create plenty of decent openings but centre forward Wesley still looks a fish out of water after joining from Club Brugge for £22million last summer.
Smith’s determination to play a progressive, attacking game means there are holes at the back, and those responsible for filling them are failing to do so. More is needed in January if they are to move up the division.
With Iheanacho’s inclusion, Rodgers switched to a diamond in midfield, with James Maddison playing off the two forwards. The
England midfielder was a constant menace, eluding Marvelous Nakamba with his clever movement and dragging the Villa defence this way and that. His performance was matched only by that of the magnificent Ricardo Pereira, surely the best right back in the division.
Yet it was the home side who created the best early chance. Dennis Praet failed to track Matt Targett’s run from deep and when Grealish found the left back, his low ball across goal was prodded against the bar by the fit-again Anwar El Ghazi.
It proved a costly miss, as Leicester took the lead 10 minutes later with a goal that could surely have been prevented by more decisive work from the Villa management.
When Tyrone Mings grabbed his hamstring and fell to the floor after chasing Iheanacho for a long pass, he should have been substituted immediately. Yet after treatment from the physio, Mings was allowed to continue and Villa paid the price when he was unable to keep up with Vardy as he ran on to Iheanacho’s through ball. Vardy rounded Tom Heaton and miskicked his finish, but Ezri Konsa slipped as he tried to reach the ball, giving Vardy a second chance that he did not waste. The forward had been taunted by the Holte End for his initial mistake and he did not let them forget it, standing in the net and holding his hands to his ears.
Before the goal it had been an even contest, but now Villa did not know whether to stick or twist and Leicester, led by Maddison and Youri Tielemans, began to run the show. It was no surprise when they went two up four minutes before half-time, as Iheanacho squeezed between Konsa and Targett to divert Maddison’s cross past Heaton at the near post.
Grealish was becoming increasingly frustrated, railing at the officials and even the Leicester bench, though he did bring Villa back into the match in first-half stoppage time with a firm right-foot finish that found the bottom corner via a slight deflection.
That should have been the platform for Villa to fight back. Yet again, however, their defending let them down. Four minutes into the second half, Maddison guided a corner to the far post where Evans, unmarked, headed it back beyond Heaton.
Leicester made it even more painful for Villa when Vardy raced on to Maddison’s lofted pass, outpaced Targett and finished low into the corner.
It is not Liverpool’s title just yet. ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Heaton 6.5; Elmohamady 5, Konsa 4.5, Mings 5 (Engels 23min, 6), Targett 6 (Guilbert 78); Douglas Luiz 5.5, Nakamba 5 (Trezeguet 59, 6), McGinn 6; El Ghazi 6, Wesley 5, Grealish 6. Subs not used: Nyland, Lansbury, Hourihane, Kodjia. Scorer: Grealish 45+2. Booked: Mings, Nakamba, Wesley, Targett, McGinn, Grealish. Manager: Dean Smith 5. LEICESTER CITY (4-1-2-1-2): Schmeichel 6.5; RICARDO 8.5, Evans 7.5, Soyuncu 7, Chilwell 6.5 (Justin 80); Ndidi 7; Praet 6.5 (Albrighton 76), Tielemans 7.5; Maddison 8; Iheanacho 7 (Barnes 64, 7), Vardy 8. Subs not used: Ward, Morgan, Gray, Perez. Scorers: Vardy 20, 75, Iheanacho 41, Evans 49. Booked: Ndidi, Iheanacho. Manager: Brendan Rodgers 8. Referee: Michael Oliver 6. Attendance: 41,908.