Vardy: How we outfoxed Pep’s team
LEICESTER City hat-trick hero Jamie Vardy has revealed one of the tactics used by Brendan Rodgers to get one over on Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, writes Amie Wilson.
City came from behind to record a stunning 5-2 win over Man City at the Etihad on Sunday.
Vardy scored three, including two penalties while James Maddison and Youri Tielemans also got in on the goalscoring act.
Leicester lined up with five at the back for the first time this season, with Daniel Amartey playing his first Premier League game in almost two years.
Vardy outlined the tactics implemented by Rodgers for the match.
“We knew we weren’t going to have too much of the ball so we set up to infuriate them and make sure the likes of Rodri got as little of the ball,” he told Sky Sports.
“We weren’t worried, they got a great goal but we knew if we stuck to our plan we’d have chances. We got them and stuck them away.
“Sometimes the gaffer asks me to stay away from the ball, today it was different.
“Drop in and do a man-marking job on Rodri.
“I didn’t have much on the ball but it was great to get a win.”
Two of Vardy’s goals came from the penalty spot, with Vardy himself winning the spot kicks before dispatching them past Ederson
“If you’re both running at speed whoever gets there first will be fouled by the other man. They were both penalties,” he added about the spot kicks.
The striker’s second was an improvised back-heel flick past Ederson.
“With the keeper as long as you open your legs they think it’ll go through so I managed to get something on it,” he said of that goal.
The win was Brendan Rodgers’ first in six attempts over Pep Guardiola and maintained Leicester’s 100 per cent winning record in the Premier League.