Leicester City climbed to second in the Premier League table as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in north London.
The result, Brendan Rodgers’ first win over Jose Mourinho, was helped thanks to their NINTH Premier League penalty of the season.
Jamie Vardy slammed home the first-half spot-kick, given for a foul on Wesley Fofana by Serge Aurier, which was described by Roy Keane as ‘utter madness’.
Another slow opening period from the hosts was punished and by the hour-mark an own goal from Toby Alderweireld and an injury to midfielder Giovani Lo Celso had Mourinho’s men staring their third league game without a win in the face.
Even the arrival of Gareth Bale and Lucas Moura off the bench couldn’t trouble the Foxes were impressive in their composure as Spurs looked to back into the match.
Rodgers’ side did see it out and now find themselves in second place just four points behind leaders Liverpool, while Tottenham sit fourth – six points off top spot having led the division this time last week.
It promised to be an intriguing encounter with Lo Celso added to Spurs’ midfield, with the Foxes playing a back-five.
The hosts’ stoic backline were, as one might anticipate right now, busier throughout the opening period but Eric Dier and Alderweireld were able to repel most action which came their way.
Vardy was able to lash one shot on goal following a corner but his effort was blocked and dealt with, while a James Maddison strike drifted over the bar.
Leicester were just as competent defensively and any Spurs counters were adequately ended.
A deflected Harry Kane free-kick did provoke a save from Kasper Schmeichel, while Foxes boss Rodgers was reportedly unhappy with some of the decisions going against his side.
Marc Albrighton didn’t let a yellow card get in the way of his defensive duties and prior to the break he did superbly to deny Lo Celso a shot on goal, while Kane blazed a header over from the resulting corner.
Maddison had another long range shot on goal but Hugo Lloris was equal to it.
The twist, though, came two minutes into added time as VAR informed referee Craig Pawson that Aurier may have committed a foul in the penalty area.
Sure enough, the Ivorian, who has been having a good season for Spurs, was seen to have barged into Leicester’s Fofana just inside the box.
Jamie Vardy stepped up from 12 yards and, with Lloris inching to the right, he slammed it centrally for his 11th goal of the Premier League campaign, with seven from the spot.
Tottenham made a change at the break, swapping Tanguy Ndombele for loan star Bale, but before they were able to get going Maddison had the ball in the back of the net.
Luckily for the Lilywhites, VAR ruled in their favour this time, disallowing the goal for offside.
But there was to be another blow instantly after with Lo Celso forced off due to a hamstring injury, leaving them without their two creative midfielders.
Spurs now had Lucas Moura and Bale on but were out of ideas and their chances of victory were weakened on the hour-mark when a Vardy header bounced off defender Alderweireld and nestled in the back of Lloris’ goal.
Leicester had Schmeichel to thank for keeping their lead when he denied Heung-Min Son from point-blank range at a corner.
But no matter how hard Spurs pushed they looked all out of ideas going forward and just couldn’t test the Dane further.
A injury to Vardy, though, which the player described as a ‘tweak’, will be of concern to Rodgers ahead of the hectic festive schedule, which sees them play Manchester United, Crystal Palace, and Newcastle.
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