T FIGHTERS
Poch battlers pack counterpunch after Lloris denies Vardy from penalty spot
MAURICIO POCHETTINO clenched his fists and celebrated wildly, knowing just how important this win was for Tottenham. Spurs were well below their best at Wembley yesterday. Leicester gave them one hell of a scare and missed a hatful of chances but Pochettino’s men simply refuse to give up. Make no mistake, Spurs are still in there, determined to make the Premier League title race a three-way fight with leaders Manchester City and Liverpool.
They deserve great credit for battling on despite the injury absences of Harry Kane and Dele Alli, and digging out results with resilience and mental strength.
This time it was Hugo Lloris who was Spurs’ man of the match with a string of brilliant saves to defy Leicester and, most notably, Jamie Vardy from the penalty spot.
That was undoubtedly the turning point as Vardy (left) came off the bench to take the spot-kick and promptly missed the chance to make it 1-1. Within three minutes, Christian Eriksen had made it 2-0.
With manager Claude Puel again leaving out Vardy from his starting XI in their ongoing feud, it was a crazy risk for Leicester to let the substitute come on and take the penalty cold.
Sure enough, the Foxes paid a heavy price and you can be sure that Puel’s turbulent relationship with Vardy will not have improved as a result.
Pochettino (right) must have been concerned early on as Leicester threatened, Harvey Barnes and James Maddison both wasting good openings.
But Spurs seized a 33rdminute lead thanks to a clever corner routine.
Kieran Trippier took the flag-kick and pulled it back to Eriksen, his wonderful curling cross setting up Davinson Sanchez to head home his first goal for the club.
Jan Vertonghen bundled over Maddison in the box to gift Leicester the chance to equalise.
Incredibly, Puel sent on Vardy from the bench for Demarai Gray and no one could quite believe it when the England striker grabbed the ball.
Vardy’s spot-kick was superbly saved by Lloris and even former Leicester striker Gary Lineker tweeted it had been a “huge ask”. Fernando Llorente reminded us he was on the pitch after 63 minutes to set up Eriksen and the Dane hit a wonderful 20-yard dipping shot which flew into the net.
Barnes missed an absolute sitter when clean through as Lloris blocked with his legs – but Leicester kept pouring forward.
Vardy finally got some redemption after 76 minutes when he fired home Ricardo Pereira’s low cross.
It set up a grandstand finish as the Foxes piled on the pressure.
But Spurs held firm, Lloris was defiant and they then caught the visitors on the break when Moussa Sissoko’s clearance sent Heung-min Son racing away from his own half.
Son, who had been harshly booked in the first half for diving when it looked a penalty, sprinted away, had too much pace for Leicester’s defence and kept his cool to slot home.