- Vardy scores 9th of season
- Gray instrumental for Foxes
- Leicester fired Puel earlier this week
Demarai Gray and Jamie Vardy scored as Leicester City topped Brighton and Hove Albion 2-1 on Tuesday at the King Power Stadium.
New manager Brendan Rodgers was in the stands for the win, which saw the Foxes pull to within five points of seventh place Wolves and Watford.
Brighton is just three points clear of the drop zone.
[ MORE: Watch full PL match replays ]
Gray’s goal came after 10 minutes, with Wilfried Ndidi winning possession for Leicester and sending Youri Tielemans on his way to setting up the opener.
It could’ve been 2-0 in short order had Mat Ryan not made a nice save on Gray.
That seemingly snapped Brighton to life, and Pascal Gross’ deflected offering made Kasper Schmeichel react quickly to keep Leicester in front.
[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]4 - Demarai Gray has scored four goals in the 2018-19 Premier League, his best tally in a single season in the competition and his highest in a league campaign since he netted six in the 2014-15 Championship season with Birmingham. Rising. pic.twitter.com/wpZAZlNM5B
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 26, 2019
[ MORE: Premier League box scores, stats ]
Leicester doubled its lead through Vardy, who likely will have reveled in returning to the score sheet following his tumultuous relationship with the fired Claude Puel.
This was very much a team goal, with Tielemans, Ricardo Pereira, and James Maddison all part of the build-up.
That’s when Brighton pulled a goal back through Davy Propper, his first Premier League marker coming when he took a touch off a deflected cross and beat Schmeichel.
Lewis Dunk wasn’t too far from equalizing with a header, but Leicester held onto its lead as the match reached its final quarter hour.
[ MORE: Premier League stats ]