Football news - Tottenham Hotspur down Leicester City amidst Jamie Vardy penalty fiasco
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ByEurosport
Updated 10/02/2019 at 16:13 GMT
Premier League, Wembley - Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Sanchez 33', Eriksen 63', Son 90') Leicester City 1 (Vardy 76')
Spurs celebrate the goal from Tottenham defender Davinson Sanchez during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at Wembley, London on Sunday 10th February 2019. (
Image credit: Getty Images
The race for the Premier League title remains a three-way job after Spurs again found a way, recording their fourth straight league win despite another fine Leicester City performance. They now sit five points off top spot and, though they remain the outsiders, still have a chance of winning their first league championship since 1961.
The early part of the game was controlled by Leicester and Youri Tielemans in particular. Spurs could not get close to him, and he created a number of chances, the best of which were missed by the exciting by rash Harvey Barnes.
Then, on 33 minutes and entirely against the run of play, Spurs took the lead. A corner went short to Christian Eriksen, he curled over a luscious cross, and Davinson Sanchez dived to head his first goal for the club.
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10th February 2019, Wembley Stadium, London England; EPL Premier League football, Tottenham Hotspur versus Leicester City; Davinson Sanchez of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates with Kieran Trippier after scoring a diving header for 1-0 in the 33rd minute
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The pattern of the game changed little after half-time and then, on the hour, Leicester won a penalty. It didn't look much like Jan Vertonghen had fouled James Maddison, but Michael Oliver adjudged to the contrary, pointing to the spot and Jamie Vardy, ready to come on in any event, took the ball from Maddison ... only for Hugo Lloris to turn his kick away.
Three minutes later, his pain was compounded when Eriksen larruped an excellent finish past Kasper Schmeichel and inside the near post, but just when the game looked over, Vardy nabbed a livener. Leicester then committed everyone forward, and in the first minute of injury-time, Moussa Sissoko cleared for Son Heung-min, who ran half the length of the field to slot home.
TALKING POINT
How do Spurs improve? Their character cannot be disputed, but they cannot keep winning games late, or win them despite being largely outplayed. Of course they'll improve when Harry Kane and Dele Alli return, but they need to find a way of controlling things in the meantime.
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Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Eriksen is congratulated after scoring his side's second goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at Wembley Stadium on February 10, 2019 in London, United Kingdom
Image credit: Getty Images
MAN OF THE MATCH
Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur) Youri Tielemans was the best player on the pitch for most of the game, but Eriksen made one and scored one. The result was the result because of him.
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Christian Eriksen of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring his teams second goal during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City at Wembley Stadium on February 10, 2019 in London, United Kingdom.
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris 8, Trippier 6, Sanchez 6, Vertonghen 6, Rose 6, Winks 5, Skipp 5, Sissoko 6, Eriksen 8, Llorente 6, Son 6. Subs: Alderweireld 6, Wanyama 6, Walker-Peters 6.
Leicester City: Schmeichel 6, Ricardo 6, Evans 7, Maguire 7, Chilwell 8, Ndidi 6 , Maddison 6, Tielemans 8, Ghezzal 5, Gray 5, Barnes 6. Subs: Vardy 6, Iheanacho 6, Okazaki 6.
KEY MOMENTS
33' - GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Leicester City (Sanchez) Sickener for Leicester! Trippier pulls the corner back to Eriksen, loitering outside the box, near side, and he whips a glorious cross into the middle for Sanchez to diving-head his first Spurs goal. Leicester plead for offside but replays show that it's just on, and even if it isn't, it's so close that the benefit of the doubt has to go to the attacker.
58' - PENALTY TO LEICESTER! It looks dodgy to me, I must say ... very dodgy. A brilliant turn from Ndidi diddles Vertonghen on the left of the box, Winks slides in to move the loose ball, and then Vertonghen appears back on the scene to challenge Maddison who goes down. There's very little in this, but Michael Oliver points to the spot ... and on comes Vardy for Gray to take it!
60' - AHHHHHHH! VARDY GOES LOW AND HARD TO LLORIS' RIGHT .... AND LLORIS PLUNGES TO PUSH AROUND THE POST! DID VARDY LEARN NOTHING FROM ZICO?!
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Jamie Vardy
Image credit: Getty Images
63' - GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Leicester City (Eriksen) ... then they do now! Ricardo dawdles on the ball, Skipp does well to block his eventual clearance, and then Eriksen plays into Llorenet who's clever touch-off sets him for a shit, and he larrups low inside the near post from 20 yards! Is it on?!
75' - GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Leicester City Or is it! A long passage of possession sees Ndidi move it wide to Ricardo, who plays a one-two off Tielemans - his gentle return is gorgeous, weighted to perfection - and the ensuing low cross is turned home by Vardy, ahead of Vertonghen. You can't keep a good mongrel down!
90+1' - GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Leicester City (Son) ...but look at this! Ndidi cuts back a cross, Sissoko turns it clear ... and puts Son away! He has half of the pitch to run, but you know exactly what's going to happen at the end of it. He holds off Evans, bursts into the box, and punches a sidefooter past Schmeichel to seal a crucial win! What a player he is!
KEY STATS
Since making his debut in September 2013, Christian Eriksen has scored more goals from outside the box (20) than any other player in the Premier League.
Spurs have won 20 league games this season. Only once in 1960-61 - their last championship season - had they won more (22) after 26 games.
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