FOXES ARE UP FUR IT
Rodgers’ men turning on the style again
THE Premier League table tells its own story of a power shift.
Leicester third, six points ahead of Arsenal in fifth and looking streets ahead of the rest in the fight for a Champions League place.
Maybe we should not be too surprised. After all, it was only four seasons ago that Leicester were crowned champions in the greatest upset of them all.
But now Brendan Rodgers has got them dreaming again, playing arguably better football than in that title-winning season.
And outside of the top two, they are the best team to watch in the Premier League.
Leicester were excellent as they controlled the game at what is traditionally a tricky away ground.
It was Rodgers’ first time back at Selhurst Park since Liverpool blew a three-goal lead and the title in 2014 but this just went to underline his own career resurgence.
Rodgers has embraced the old and the new face of the club as Turkish centre-half Caglar Soyuncu has gained cult status among the fans. He was rock solid and his brilliantly improvised opener put the flying Foxes in control.
But no Leicester story would be complete without Jamie Vardy, one of the mainstays since the 2016 title success, making sure he had a part to play. Vardy, 32, was mocked throughout by Palace fans on account of his wife Rebekah’s Twitter spat with Coleen Rooney, and yet had the perfect response late on.
The former England striker poached the second goal – he has plundered 19 since Rodgers took charge last February, then taunted those Palace fans, by flapping his arms about like an eagle – the south London club’s mascot.
It was typical Vardy and it is what he does best, thrive on anything and everything to spur himself on.
Gareth Southgate’s No.2 Steve Holland was in the crowd and how England must wish Vardy had not retired from international football.
Leicester now zip it about brilliantly with two of the best attacking full-backs in the business – Ricardo Pereira and Ben Chilwell (above, top) – and options in attack to support Vardy plus James Maddison strutting about as if he owned the pitch in the No.10 role.
Palace defended well but had little to offer in return, although Leicester did find it difficult to find a way through.
Chilwell’s flick to Maddison, whose brilliant pass set
Vardy clear, was their best first-half opening but Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita saved well. Leicester defender Jonny Evans (above) forced Guaita into a brilliant tip over as the visitors stepped up the pressure after halftime, and another Maddison corner brought the opener after 57 minutes.
Maddison’s kick was inadvertently flicked on by Patrick van Aanholt and Soyuncu showed great agility as he repositioned himself to head powerfully home from close range.
From then on, the outcome never looked in doubt. Palace showed some fight but created little as Wilfried Zaha tried hard but met a good match in Pereira. Leicester even showed they are ready to mix it as Evans was booked for a brutal foul on Cheikhou Kouyate.
As Palace ran out of steam, Leicester looked increasingly dangerous. Two minutes from time, substitute Demarai Gray broke into the Palace box, cut the ball back for Vardy and the striker steered the ball in.
Leicester are on the march, they will take some stopping and they can cement their place in the top four next weekend as Arsenal are the visitors to the King Power Stadium. No one will fancy going there these days.