We belong in the top flight, insists late hero Vardy

LEICESTER’S Premier League forecast has looked gloomy for some considerable time, but Jamie Vardy’s stoppage-time winner at the Hawthorns suddenly offers a sunnier outlook.

‘It was a pretty decent day,’ said Vardy (below). ‘I go to the racing for a giggle. Winning our (Grand National) sweepstake was nice but three points was the main thing.’

Leicester have appeared doomed to relegation for months, cemented to the bottom of the table since November. But two successive wins give genuine hope of survival with seven games to play, five at home. Vardy struck a confident tone. Survival is, after all, in Leicester’s hands.

‘We’ve all been running ourselves in the ground and not getting the points we deserve,’ said Vardy. ‘We’ve not played bad in any game really. This just shows what we are capable of. We still want to be in this Premier League next year. We feel like we belong here. We’ve never been battered and always given a good account of ourselves.’

Leicester manager Nigel Pearson deserves credit for altering his team at half-time when 2-1 down to goals from Darren Fletcher and Craig Gardner. Leicester switched to a 3-5-2 formation and flooded men forwards in a bid to add to David Nugent’s strike.

Robert Huth found a leveller with 10 minutes to go before Vardy ran from halfway to drill a cracking finish in the first minute of injury

time. Pearson said: ‘This season we have to make sure our destiny remains with our own results as long as possible. Whenever that’s the case, we have a realistic opportunity.’

WEST BROM (4-4-2): Myhill 5.5; Dawson 5, McAuley 5, Lescott 5.5, Brunt 6; Gardner 6.5 (Olsson 73 min, 5), Yacob 6, Fletcher 7, Morrison 6.5 (Sessegnon 85); Ideye 5 (Anichebe 60, 5), Berahino 5. Subs not used: Rose, Wisdom, Baird, McManaman. Booked: Gardner, Fletcher. Scorers: Fletcher 8, Gardner 26.

LEICESTER (4-3-1-2): Schmeichel 6; De Laet 4 (Wasilewski 46, 6), Huth 6.5, Morgan 6, Schlupp 6.5; Albrighton 6.5, James 6 (King 60, 6), Cambiasso 7; Nugent 7; Vardy 7.5, Ulloa 6.5 (Mahrez 64, 6). Subs not

used: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Drinkwater, Kramaric. Booked: Albrighton, Huth. Scorers: Nugent 20, Huth 80, Vardy 90.

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy. Referee: Martin Atkinson 6.