Record for goal-king Vardy as Leicester hold United
Jamie Vardy wrote his name into the record books on Saturday, becoming the first player to score in 11 successive Premier League matches as his Leicester City team drew 1-1 with Manchester United at the King Power Stadium.
The England striker, who began his run against Bournemouth on Aug. 29 and has now netted 13 times in 11 games, struck an angled shot in the 24th minute to eclipse the mark established by United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2003.
Vardy is now one match away from equalling the all-time English top-flight consecutive scoring run of 12 matches set by Sheffield United’s Irish forward Jimmy Dunne in Division One in 1931-32.
Although Vardy took his goal tally for the season to 14, Leicester were knocked off top spot as Bastian Schweinsteiger’s header at the end of the first half secured a point for United. Leicester are now second after Manchester City returned to the top on goal difference by beating Southampton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium. Kevin De Bruyne, Fabian Delph and Aleksandar Kolarov were on target for the 2012 and 2014 champions while Shane Long replied for Southampton. Manchester City and Leicester have 29 points from 14 matches with United third on 28. Arsenal, who visit Norwich City on same day, are fifth on 24. Vardy, who was playing minor-league football for Fleetwood Town only three years ago, told Sky Sports: “I am obviously delighted but the main thing was the performance and I think we put in a very good shift today”.
Asked about the buildup to the match he said: “If I’d let it get to me it would affect my performance so I have just been keeping my head down.
“It was another game we wanted to get three points from but I think a draw was probably a fair result.” Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri was more upbeat, saying: “We had two objectives today, to win the match and to help Jamie, but we took one point which is okay for us and Jamie broke the record. “It is an incredible achievement.
This fantastic man is not only the record scorer but he works so hard.” United manager Louis van Gaal said he took skipper Wayne Rooney off in the second half because he had a slight injury but added that he was disappointed with his team’s attacking play. “I had the feeling that we could have won this game,” said the Dutchman, “but I also have a bad feeling. I told my players these are the kind of matches you have to win if you are going to be champions.”
I am obviously delighted but the main thing was the performance and I think we put in a very good shift today