PREMIER LEAGUE

Jamie Vardy’s double inspired Leicester to victory over Liverpool as the champions sparked into life following Claudio Ranieri’s sacking.

The England forward ended thefoxes’premierleaguegoal drought and secured a 3-1 win – their first since New Year’s Eve – to lift the hosts out of the relegation zone, four days after the departure of title-winning manager Ranieri.

Danny Drinkwater netted a brilliant second goal between Vardy’s strikes, with Philippe Coutinho’s effort midway through the second half scant consolation for the lacklustre Reds. Caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare and his team made light work of the controversy and speculation which had surrounded the club in the build-up to the match.

Vardy had been one

of

0 Striker Jamie Vardy celebrates after scoring Leicester’s third goal against Liverpool at the King Power Stadium last night. the players named as having reportedly met with the Thai owners to discuss Ranieri’s future – an accusation he fiercely denied – and there was clear anger and frustration in his display.

Liverpool, who missed the chance to return to the top four, were completely unprepared for the revived champions.

Shakespeare trusted the team which virtually picked itself to win the league last season, apart from Wilfred Ndidi replacing the departed N’golo Kante.

It was a sad indictment of the Foxes’ summer transfer business, with just two of their preseason signings in the squad and £16million Ahmed Musa dropped completely.

There was no vitriol from the supporters as Leicester went at Liverpool having dropped into the bottom three over the weekend.

The Foxes had rarely been so energetic this season and Simon Mignolet made two smart saves from Robert Huth and Shinji Okazaki before the visitors even got into the Leicester box. It proved to be the same all game, and Liverpool simply had no answer,