Jamie Vardy came off the bench to score a customary goal against Arsenal and send Leicester to within a point of the Premier League summit with a first win at the Gunners’ home since 1973.
Vardy, 33, had missed two games with a calf injury but was reintroduced after a largely sterile opening hour at Emirates Stadium and promptly ended a 262-minute goal drought in the league.
The former England international headed home fellow substitute Cengiz Under’s smart pass to bring up a remarkable 11th Premier League goal against Arsenal. Only Wayne Rooney, with 12, has more.
Until Vardy’s arrival Leicester had barely threatened but they have now won their opening three away league games for the first time.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were disappointing and, despite dominating possession and having 12 shots on goal, never looked like seriously testing Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as they slipped to a first home league defeat of 2020.
The scourge of Arsenal
Four summers ago Arsenal tried to prise Vardy away from Leicester and he continues to pile on the regret with every game.
He had only 11 touches after replacing Dennis Praet, but still scored the winner and was only denied a second by the head of Bernd Leno as he raced through on goal late on.
Leicester lined up with no forward at all in his absence, with winger Harvey Barnes nominally playing up front, and their lack of cutting edge meant James Maddison had all four of their efforts, all from outside the area, before number nine Vardy came on.
Their improvement was as marked as it was predictable with Vardy on the field, and it was no surprise when they grabbed the lead.
Youri Tielemans’ excellent pass over the top freed Under, and he squared for the free Vardy to score with a stooping header.
Last season Leicester capitulated from a position which seemed certain to deliver Champions League football, when they were 14 points ahead of Manchester United at the start of February. Could they seal the deal this time around?
More to follow.
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Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
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Arsenal
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Squad number19Player namePépé
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Squad number20Player nameMustafi
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Squad number30Player nameNketiah
Leicester City
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Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
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Squad number3Player nameFofana
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Squad number6Player nameEvans
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Squad number28Player nameFuchs
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Squad number27Player nameCastagne
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Squad number8Player nameTielemans
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Squad number24Player nameMendy
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Squad number2Player nameJustin
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Squad number26Player namePraet
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Squad number10Player nameMaddison
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Squad number15Player nameBarnes
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
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Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton
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Squad number19Player nameÃœnder
Line-ups
Arsenal
- 1Leno
- 23David LuizSubstituted forMustafiat 49′minutes
- 6dos Santos Magalhães
- 34XhakaBooked at 90mins
- 2BellerÃnBooked at 30mins
- 18Partey
- 8Ceballos
- 3TierneySubstituted forNketiahat 81′minutes
- 14Aubameyang
- 9LacazetteBooked at 57mins
- 7SakaSubstituted forPépéat 65′minutes
Substitutes
- 13Rúnarsson
- 15Maitland-Niles
- 19Pépé
- 20Mustafi
- 25Elneny
- 28Willock
- 30Nketiah
Leicester
- 1Schmeichel
- 3FofanaBooked at 52mins
- 6EvansBooked at 74mins
- 28FuchsBooked at 32mins
- 27Castagne
- 8TielemansBooked at 41mins
- 24Mendy
- 2Justin
- 26PraetSubstituted forVardyat 60′minutes
- 10MaddisonBooked at 67minsSubstituted forAlbrightonat 85′minutes
- 15BarnesSubstituted forÃœnderat 75′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Morgan
- 9Vardy
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 14Iheanacho
- 19Ãœnder
- 20Choudhury
Live Text
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Match ends, Arsenal 0, Leicester City 1.
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Second Half ends, Arsenal 0, Leicester City 1.
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Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Granit Xhaka (Arsenal).
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Cengiz Ãœnder (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Corner, Arsenal. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Bernd Leno.
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Attempt saved. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Marc Albrighton.
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Wesley Fofana (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Thomas Partey (Arsenal).
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Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal).
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Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Leicester City. Marc Albrighton replaces James Maddison.
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Foul by Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal).
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Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Arsenal. Eddie Nketiah replaces Kieran Tierney.
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Goal! Arsenal 0, Leicester City 1. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Cengiz Ãœnder.
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Foul by Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal).
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