Vardy shows Ranieri he’s still deadly
SIX weeks short of his 35th birthday, Jamie Vardy has lost none of the quality that helped him share the best moments of his career with Claudio Ranieri. On Ranieri’s first return to the King Power Stadium as an opposing manager since he won the Premier League title with Leicester in 2016, Vardy made sure the Watford boss returned south empty-handed. With the score 1-1 and the home side wobbling, Vardy defied the blizzard to produce two classic finishes and put his team 3-1 up by half-time. The sides scored a goal apiece after the break as conditions worsened, yet Vardy had made the decisive contribution. Ranieri was serenaded by Leicester fans and tapped his chest in appreciation, but the result will still leave a bitter taste. ‘I have to say thank you to the Leicester fans,’ said the Italian. ‘The reception was fantastic. The conditions were like Christmas Day but we didn’t lose because of the pitch. We created more chances than Leicester but they were more aggressive than us.’ James Maddison crowned an impressive display with the opening goal and, after Joshua King had levelled from the spot, the playmaker created both of Vardy’s strikes. Emmanuel Dennis hit Watford’s second on the hour, only for Ademola Lookman to seal Leicester’s second win in four days, after they beat Legia Warsaw in the Europa League last Thursday. Vardy claimed Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann — replacing the injured Ben Foster — wanted the match halted. ‘At one point their keeper was trying to get it called off. But pitches have undersoil heating and we weren’t worried,’ he said. ‘Claudio got the reception the fans wanted to give him. We knew it was down to business on the pitch, though.’ It was the Foxes’ first league triumph since the 2-1 victory at Brentford on October 24 and, for now at least, should quell the restlessness here. After the 3-0 home defeat by Chelsea last weekend, manager Brendan Rodgers questioned supporters for booing the team. The home side took the lead in the 16th minute. William Troost-Ekong ducked under Jonny Evans’ long pass and Maddison punished him with a smart volleyed finish. Watford looked confident in attack and Wilfred Ndidi’s hasty challenge on Dennis allowed King to equalise from the spot. Vardy and Kasper Schmeichel were the only members of the title-winning team in the starting XI and after 35 minutes, Vardy made his mark. Maddison chipped a delightful pass into the path of Vardy, who reached the ball a fraction before Bachmann and lifted it gently over him — his first goal since the 4-2 win over Manchester United last month. Vardy celebrated by sliding on his knees past the Watford bench, where Ranieri was standing, and pointing at Leicester goalkeeping coach Mike Stowell. ‘I was just pleased to see him score,’ said Rodgers. ‘He and Mike Stowell have a great relationship but I’m not sure what the celebration was about.’ Two minutes before half-time, Vardy found space at the near post and headed in Maddison’s corner. On the hour, Timothy Castagne dawdled and was robbed by Dennis who ran through and finished superbly. The restart was delayed as Leicester officials with leaf blowers and brooms cleared snow from the pitch to make the halfway line and penalty area boundaries visible. Leicester soon found their fourth. Luke Thomas burst through the snow and released Harvey Barnes, whose low ball gave Lookman a tap-in.
LEICESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel 7; Castagne 5.5, Evans 6.5, Soyuncu 6, Thomas 7; Soumare 6, Ndidi 6; Lookman 6.5 (Albrighton 75min, 6), Maddison 7.5 (Dewsbury-Hall 88), Barnes 6.5; VARDY 8.
Scorers: Maddison 16, Vardy 35, 43, Lookman 68. Manager: Brendan Rodgers 6.5.
WATFORD (4-1-4-1): Bachmann 6; Femenia 6, Cathcart 5, Troost-Ekong 5, Masina 6.5; Louza 5.5 (Tufan 46, 6); Hernandez 6.5, Cleverley 6 (Joao Pedro 46, 6), Sissoko 6.5, Dennis 7.5 ((Fletcher 72, 6); King 6.5. Scorers: King 30 (pen), Dennis 61.
Manager: Claudio Ranieri 6. Referee: Andrew Madley 6.5. Att: 34,310.