MX23RW : Saturday, December 26 19:20:52| >> :120:22667:22667:
Dec 20, 2020 at 2.15pm UK at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
SpursTottenham Hotspur
0-2
LeicesterLeicester City

Dier (79'), Winks (81')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Vardy (45+4' pen.), Alderweireld (59' og.)
Albrighton (32'), Ndidi (72')

Result: Leicester City into second courtesy of two-goal win over Tottenham

Result: Leicester into second courtesy of two-goal win over Tottenham
© Reuters
Jamie Vardy scored from the spot before Toby Alderweireld netted an own goal.

Leicester validated their position in the Premier League title race with a 2-0 win at hapless Tottenham.

Jose Mourinho's men were seen as the main challengers to Liverpool after a promising start to the season, but they were second best in a limp display in north London.

Jamie Vardy's penalty and a Toby Alderweireld own goal saw Brendan Rodgers get one over his former mentor and send his side second in the table.

Although Spurs made it much easier for them than it should have been, the victory over a team close to them in the table sends a strong message.

For Spurs this defeat follows on from the one at Anfield in midweek, while the manner of it backs up Mourinho's opinion that they were never title contenders.

You would not have known this was a tussle between two top sides after an insipid start.

Leicester were marginally the better team but struggled to create anything meaningful, while it took Spurs a good 35 minutes to find any sort of rhythm.

When they did they created two good chances, but Harry Kane uncharacteristically wasted them. The first was from a corner, which he headed over from six yards, and then another header was cleared off the line.

Referee Craig Pawson checks the pitchside monitor
Leicester were awarded a penalty after a check of the pitchside monitor (Frank Augstein/PA)

The afternoon turned in first-half injury time when Spurs imploded.

Serge Aurier gave away a brainless penalty, needlessly barging over Wesley Fofana, which referee Craig Pawson had to see again on the pitchside monitor before Vardy drilled home from the spot – his 11th goal of the season.

Mourinho responded by bringing Gareth Bale on, but it had little effect and Leicester thought they had doubled the lead early in the second period.

James Maddison looked to have beaten the offside trap as he burst through on goal from Marc Albrighton's long ball and fired past Hugo Lloris, only for VAR's perpendicular lines to rule he was marginally offside.

There was no reprieve for Spurs, though, as they fell 2-0 behind just before the hour in a manner that summed up their afternoon.

Toby Alderweireld scores an own goal against Leicester
Toby Alderweireld's own goal doubled Leicester's lead (Frank Augstein/PA)

Moussa Sissoko was unaware that Vardy was lurking behind him and allowed the striker to head a cross back across goal and it diverted off Alderweireld into the net.

Son Heung-min had a chance to give Spurs some hope when a corner fell to him at the far post, but he scuffed his shot and allowed Kasper Schmeichel to make a fine save.

From then on it was just a question of whether Leicester were going to pile on the misery on the break.

Vardy had a shot blocked and then another well saved by Lloris, before Youri Tielemans skied an effort over when the Foxes had men spare.

ID:427375:cQx

How you voted: Spurs vs Leicester

Tottenham Hotspur
82.1%
Draw
11.2%
Leicester City
6.7%
223
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1494136191731
2Leicester CityLeicester159152819928
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd148333023727
4Everton148242519626
5Aston Villa1381427131425
6Chelsea1574430171325
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1474325141125
8Southampton157442519625
9Manchester CityMan City136521912723
10West Ham UnitedWest Ham146352119221
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves146261419-520
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle135351722-518
13Crystal Palace155371928-918
14Arsenal155281519-417
15Leeds UnitedLeeds145272430-617
16Burnley13346819-1113
17Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton142661622-612
18Fulham152581323-1011
19West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom141491029-197
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd140212825-172

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