Vardy spurs City on to second in the league
FINE DISPLAY TAKES THE FOXES UP TO SECOND AND EARNS RODGERS A WIN OVER HIS MENTOR
LEICESTER City produced one of their performances of the season to foil Jose Mourinho’s tactics and beat Tottenham on their own patch.
City moved up to second in the Premier League table with a terrifically disciplined display, Jamie Vardy netting a penalty at the end of the first half and then the striker forcing an own goal from Toby Alderweireld in the second.
Spurs came out to play their counter-attacking game, but a strong rearguard from City prevented Mourinho’s side from creating too many clear-cut openings, with Brendan Rodgers masterminding an approach to finally get a victory over his former mentor.
VAR was heavily involved as video officials spotted a blatant foul by Serge Aurier on Wesley Fofana on the half-time whistle to allow Vardy the chance to score from the spot-kick, which he slammed down the middle.
Then VAR ruled out a terrific James Maddison goal for the most marginal of offsides, the number 10’s shoulder just beyond the last defender.
But City had their second after Vardy nodded a cross against Alderweireld’s thigh – and then they held out comfortably to grab another three points on the road.
After defeat in midweek, Rodgers made three changes, two at the back. Timothy Castagne was fit to make his first appearance in eight weeks, since City’s last trip to north London, against Arsenal, while Jonny Evans was back from suspension.
Marc Albrighton was reintroduced, too.
Rodgers had wanted balance in his team to quell Spurs’ threat on the break, having conceded three counters in the first half on their first visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in July.
They had clearly learned from that loss, and produced a disciplined first-half display to take a lead into half-time.
Spurs, as expected, sat back, but City’s football in the final third was precise, while the right decisions were made, allowing the visitors to enjoy plenty of possession deep in the opposition’s half.
Chances came to Fofana, who headed over a free-kick, and then Vardy, who had a shot blocked following a period of penalty-box pinball.
Maddison struck over while Barnes had an effort blocked, too, as City put the pressure on.
But Spurs still possessed a threat – from their own corners, and City’s.
Their lightning-quick breaks caused a few nervy moments at the back for City, but the defenders did enough on every occasion to deny them any clear goal-scoring chances.
City’s deficiencies at defending set-pieces were still present as Spurs pushed towards the end of the half. Harry Kane, searching for his 15th goal in 11 Premier League games against his former loan club, nodded over one corner and then met another that Vardy cleared.
The England captain also had a deflected free-kick saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
But, just as Spurs were applying pressure, City made the breakthrough.
Maddison pumped a free-kick forward, Harvey Barnes headed it down and Fofana got there ahead of Aurier, the Ivorian barging the City defender in the back.
Referee Craig Pawson was unmoved by the appeals, but when he blew his half-time whis
tle, he was instructed to check his VAR monitor.
Only a couple of replays were needed to see it was a brainless foul by Aurier and deserving of a spot-kick. Up stepped Vardy to slam it down the middle.
By scoring at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Vardy became the first Premier League player to score away against the same opponent at three different grounds, having previously netted at White Hart Lane and Wembley.
It also took him to 19 goals in City’s last 19 away games.
But while VAR helped City out at the end of the first half, it’s pernickety nature on offsides stopped City take a 2-0 lead at the start of the second. James Justin floated a brilliant ball over the top that Maddison brought down with aplomb.
The number 10 then set himself and finished into the bottom corner. It was an excellent goal.
Apart from it did not count, as the lines were drawn to show that Maddison’s shoulder was very marginally offside.
But City did not lose heart and got a legitimate second goal not too long after. Albrighton carried the ball forward, clipped a cross to the back post where Vardy had peeled, and the number nine headed back across goal, Alder weir eld unable to sort out his feet, thighing the ball into the net. Spurs then had to put on the pressure, but City’s defence was so good, and the hosts’ final ball so iffy, that few chances came.
The best opportunity came, unsurprisingly, from a set-piece. Son Heung-min ghosted in at the back post from a corner and turned the ball goalwards, but Schmeichel showed excellent reactions to flick a hand up and keep it out.
With Spurs pushing higher up the pitch, City could show off their own counter-attacking prowess.
Maddison curled a shot over, Vardy had one saved and then, with the best of the lot, Youri Tielemans blasted high after Albrighton had won the ball deep in Spurs’ half.
But the missed chances did not matter. City saw out the victory to win a sixth away Premier League match already this season
A strong rearguard from City prevented Mourinho’s side from creating too many clear-cut openings