Foxes seize their big opportunity to snatch what may prove a vital point
RED CARD FOR ARSENAL MAN PROVES TO BE GAME-CHANGER
JAMIE Vardy’s late finish earned a potentially valuable point for Leicester City in their Champions League race as Brendan Rodgers’ men came from behind to draw at 10-man Arsenal.
After a nervous VAR check, Vardy’s 22nd goal of the campaign was given, the striker burying Demarai Gray’s cross five minutes from time.
City had been given hope after Arsenal substitute Eddie Nketiah saw red for a studs-up challenge on James Justin, with PierreEmerick Aubameyang putting the hosts in front in the first half.
City had started the day in fourth after Chelsea’s win over Crystal Palace, the first time they had dropped out of the top three since October, and their bid to retake their position from Frank Lampard’s men looked unlikely in a first half in which City required Kasper Schmeichel to make multiple saves.
The second half was a more even affair and City grew into the game. But they needed the lifeline of the red card, Vardy converting their only big chance against the Gunners’ 10 men to earn the point that keeps them four ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United.
Such was the success of the three-at-the-back system against Crystal Palace, it was employed again at the Emirates, Ben Chilwell’s injury handing loanee Ryan Bennett his first start for the club after an impressive debut at the weekend.
Chilwell wasn’t the only absentee. With James Maddison and Ricardo Pereira also missing, the City 11 did not look, on paper, like one battling for the Champions League.
They started well enough. They spent five minutes finding their feet but then the first few chances fell their way. Jamie Vardy’s shot was saved down low and then Kelechi Iheanacho was denied by the feet of Emiliano Martinez after City worked a short corner well.
For the first half, that was as good as it got for the visitors. Arsenal dominated from there, and if not for Schmeichel, the margin would have been greater than one at half-time.
The long pass was slicing City’s back three apart with ease, and the goal arrived just before the first drinks break.
Dani Ceballos’ guided pass was just out of reach of the stretching Caglar Soyuncu and Bukayo Saka collected, his subtle body feint sending Jonny Evans to the sodden surface.
The teenage winger then rolled the ball across for the untracked Aubameyang to tap in.
The chances kept coming. Saka’s weak shot was blocked by Schmeichel, then the Dane made a quickfire double stop, superbly denying Alexandre Lacazette as he spun and shot to the bottom corner before palming over Hector Bellerin’s effort from a tight angle.
City did have the ball in the net just after the half-hour mark as Iheanacho knocked in Vardy’s cross, but the whistle blew just before the Nigerian converted, a foul on Sead Kolasinac spotted by the assistant. Replays showed the Bosnian had tried to block Iheanacho’s run into the box and had ended up on the turf himself, a moment that would have enraged City fans if they had been allowed entry.
There was time for one more Arsenal chance before the 45 minutes were up, Lacazette meeting Bellerin’s lofted ball with a diving header. Again, Schmeichel was in the way.
There were no changes to the system or personnel at half-time, and it seemed there would be no change to the flow of the game either, David Luiz forcing Schmeichel to tip a bouncing freekick around the post.
But there were signs of life in City and they had a brilliant chance to level when Vardy dinked a cross over the Arsenal defence to tee up the volley for Iheanacho. He connected well, but hit it straight at Martinez.
Despite those bright moments, Iheanacho was withdrawn for Harvey Barnes, but he immediately looked lively and City grew further into the game. Neat football saw Vardy found by Perez in the box, but his shot on the turn was blocked by Shkodran Mustafi.
For the third time in the match, the ball was put into the net, but for the second time, it was ruled out, Lacazette marginally offside as he prodded in Luiz’s flick-on from a corner.
Lacazette was substituted shortly after, but his replacement Nketiah did not last long. The youngster chased down a clearance, and slammed into James Justin, earning himself a yellow card.
But while Justin was down, the replay was checked, referee Chris Kavanagh visited his screen at the side of the pitch, and it was clear it was far more serious than first thought: Nketiah’s studs were up and scraped down Justin’s knee.
Kavanagh rescinded the yellow and pulled a red card out of his pocket.
City then had 15 minutes against the 10 men to find an equaliser or maybe more. It did not look like coming but then Gray, so often criticised for his lack of end product, delivered an inch-perfect cross to the back post where Vardy buried it.
There was then a tense twominute wait while the goal was checked for offside. Perez had got a nick on the cross and the VAR officials needed to bring out the zooms and the lines on the pitch. But there was relief for City. The goal stood.
The VAR check was so long that eight minutes of added time followed at the end of the 90.
But only more chance fell City’s way, Dennis Praet blazing over. City had to make do with a point.
Whether that will be enough... we will only know in a few weeks’ time.