Jamie Vardy worry for Leicester

There has been no comment from Leicester, who need Vardy’s goals to maintain their title challenge.

“The illness last week has all gone now”. I have no idea, and neither do you. I was deteriorating by the minute and bed-bound for a couple of days.

Vardy was unlikely to feature, and so the timing was ideal for the striker to undergo a minor operation. “I think Vardy will stay there because he’s a fantastic lad as well as a player, and they’re such a strong group”.

“They can achieve what many people consider to be nigh on the impossible”, he said. “You have seen what is going on at this club”.

The home supporters, though, would have been excited to learn of their side’s pursuit of Demarai Gray, the Birmingham City winger.

Jermain Defoe scored twice for Sunderland whose hopes of avoiding relegation were boosted with a 3-1 win over bottom club Aston Villa, whose own plight looks increasingly bleak.

Ranieri was coy about his revised aims. “One point is OK, and we now have 40, which was our first goal this season”.

He added: “This is good for us because big teams play in a lot of competitions: the Champions League, the FA Cup, League Cup and Premier League”. Nothing. Forty and 39 are 79, and I’m happy’. What do we have to lose?

The stalemate saw the Foxes fall two points behind Arsenal at the top of the table as their run without a win reached three matches. “Soon it will arrive”, said Ranieri of the elusive goal.

Bournemouth captain Simon Francis was sent off moments earlier for bringing down Vardy on the edge of the area, with manager Eddie Howe complaining his man had tackled fairly and played the ball. “It gives us huge belief”, he said. That was my opinion live and it’s still my opinion having seen the replays.

“It showed we can be resolute and dig in”.

Defender Wes Morgan then missed a brilliant chance from the resulting corner, firing over with his left foot from inside the six-yard box.