Leicester stun Manchester City 3-1 to extend lead, Spurs go second

Leicester’s Jamie Vardy twice broke clear to latch on to balls over the top and was only prevented from inflicting further damage by smart blocks by Joe Hart.

Here’s the statement from the Foxes, with Vardy quotes…

City’s back-four had kept clean sheets in their previous two games and they were in resilient form again as the sky blue tide swept forward time after time. Although, one wonders if a megabucks bid in the summer will test the resolve of both the player and his club.

The 29-year-old delivered a typically industrious display as the Foxes defeated Manchester City 3-1 in emphatic fashion at the Etihad to fly into a stunning five point lead at the summit.

“The spirit is fantastic but I’ve said this from my first moment here in Leicester”.

Now the Italian’s mission is downplaying giddy talk of Leicester winning the league.

Leicester – 5,000/1 outsiders at the start of the season – are five points clear at the top with 13 games remaining and now the side most fancied by bookmakers, at odds of 7/4, to take the crown.

This is basically because most believe that while Leicester City are still top, they lack depth in squad, which is necessary to win the Premier League title. Now we are very, very confident and it is important to think about Arsenal, we are ready to fight there.

Meanwhile, Manchester City who blew their chance to go top/level on points with Leicester City, are now in third position but could end the weekend in fourth if Arsenal pick up three points at Bournemouth. Sergio Aguero claimed a late consolation.

Just three minutes into the match, Leicester centerback Robert Huth got his just desserts for being a rock at the back and helping spring counter after counter this season by getting scoring in the third minute on a cross from a free kick.

“We just have 14 fit players and we have played a lot of games”.

Norwich replaced Newcastle in relegation zone, with north-east side beating West Bromwich Albion 1-0.

Mahrez then notched his 15th goal of a hugely impressive campaign three minutes into the second half when he received possession from the tireless N’Golo Kante before hurdling a desperate sliding challenge from Nicolas Otamendi and cutting inside Demichelis to slam a powerful effort in at the near post.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was not at the match after suffering a suspected bout of appendicitis, and – following a tepid first half – Roberto Firmino put the home side in front on 59 minutes.

Swansea and Crystal Palace drew 1-1 at the Liberty Stadium in what was a first home game in charge for new boss Francesco Guidolin.