Leicester City keep up impressive start to season

IT may have only been two goals this week, but Caglar Soyuncu’s first for Leicester City set Brendan Rodgers’ team on the way to another three points before Jamie Vardy shoved the taunts of the Crystal Palace crowd back down their throats.

Fresh from their nine-goal demolition of Southampton, Leicester were well aware they would face a stern test at Selhurst Park, where only Manchester City had previously won this season.

But the Foxes proved they had not got carried away with the stunning St Mary’s result, by securing the kind of gritty away victory that top-four rivals Arsenal can currently only dream of.

And Vardy responded to taunts aimed at his wife Rebekah Vardy by netting in the 89th minute and mocking the famous Palace eagle by flapping his arms in celebration.

Leicester will now go into next week’s clash against Arsenal six points ahead of Unai Emery’s men and with the chance to stretch their advantage to nine.

Jamie Vardy used his goal celebrations to flap his arms and to mock the famous Palace eagle, after having previously been taunted by the fans

The fact Leicester are also 10 points in front of Manchester United further highlights the progress being made by this energetic team under Rodgers.

Leicester’s travelling fans were quick to remind Harry Maguire, who joined United in the summer, that they are not missing the central defender after Soyuncu opened his account for the club in the 57th minute.

The Turkish international, who had performed superbly in defence, could thank the fact James Maddison’s corner took a flick off the head Patrick van Aanholt, diverting the ball straight into his path, and he was able to head the ball powerfully past Vicente Guaita.

Palace goalkeeper Guaita had performed heroics seconds earlier to push a Jonny Evans effort over the bar from another Maddison delivery.

England assistant-manager Steve Holland was in the stands and will have noted the fact that Maddison was at the heart of everything good in Leicester’s performance. Maddison was involved in the best move of the match in the first half, which almost resulted in Vardy opening the scoring.

Harvey Barnes found the midfielder with a brilliant flick and Maddison produced a sublime pass with the outside of his boot to send Vardy scurrying into the left side of the Palace penalty area. But, from a tight angle, the striker’s shot was saved.

Palace’s best effort came in the 41st minute, when a Jeffrey Schlupp shot deflected off Youri Tielemans and forced Kasper Schmeichel to tip the ball over his crossbar. But with Evans and Soyuncu in fine form that was as close as the home side got to Leicester’s goal.

Vardy had been forced to listen to the Palace fans sing about the allegations made by Coleen Rooney about his wife and clearly had a response ready for them.

After sweeping home Leicester’s second goal, his 10th of the season, Vardy stood yards from the Palace fans and celebrated by flapping his arms. Ben Chilwell then hit the inside of the post and it is the Foxes who are soaring.

Meanwhile, a sickening leg injury to Andre Gomes dominated a tense draw for Everton that, with a late, late equaliser from substitute Cenk Tosun might just relieve the pressure on manager Marco Silva.

The Everton midfielder suffered what appeared to be horrific, season-ending damage to his leg and foot, which twisted around, after he was tripped by HeungMin Son who lunged in to him. There was no malice in the challenge with Son distraught.

The Spurs forward was sent off by referee Martin Atkinson but, like players from both sides, was visibly upset at the injury suffered by Gomes. Some players, including Son, were in tears following the incident with Gomes slipping and landing badly as he collided with Serge Aurier.

It overshadowed the result. Spurs had gone ahead with Dele Alli scoring – his first away from home since January which was the last time his team had won away from home. They were denied a repeat with frustration for their manager Mauricio Pochettino as Spurs fell even further behind in their hopes of finishing in the top four.

Alli’s was also involved in another big VAR incident when, after a delay of more than three minutes, it was