Six days after beating Premier League champions Manchester City, Tottenham took an early lead and then conceded the next four goals in a 4-1 defeat to Leicester at King Power Stadium on Saturday.
[ MORE: How to watch Premier League in USA ]
A victory would have sent Tottenham (39 points - 5th place) overtake Newcastle for 4th place in the Premier League table (temporarily, at least) and move to within one point of 3rd-place Manchester United. Leicester (24 points), meanwhile, climb one place, up to 13th, now six points clear of the relegation zone.
Spurs jumped out to their early lead in rather fortuitous circumstances, as Victor Kristiansen played the ball across the face of his own goal for Rodrigo Bentancur to guide into an empty net. That was as good as things would get as Antonio Conte returned from a one-game absence following gallbladder surgery, as the Tottenham defense was pulled apart every which way by Leicester’s pace and directness. To add injury to insult, Bentancur left the game in significant pain after appearing to injure his knee in the second half.
Nampalys Mendy equalized with a Goal of the Season candidate from outside the penalty area, hammering the ball past Fraser Forster at the near post in the 23rd minute. Two minutes later, Kelechi Iheanacho picked up his third assist in two games when he picked out James Maddison at the back post to make it 2-1.
Iheanacho got a goal of his own (two in two games) with 30 seconds remaining in first-half stoppage time. Eric Dier stood him up atop the penalty area, but Iheanacho created the narrowest opening to hook a left-footed shot into Forster’s right-hand corner for a 3-1 lead.
Harvey Barnes beat Forster for Leicester’s fourth goal in the 70th minute, but video review revealed that Barnes was offside by the thickness of the material used to make his boots, sparing Spurs the indignity of conceding four times — until Barnes struck again in the 81st.
How to watch Leicester vs Tottenham live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10 am ET, Saturday
Online: Stream via Peacock Premium
Key storylines & star players
Harry Kane scored goal no. 267 to become Tottenham’s all-time record goal-scorer, passing the late Jimmy Greaves, whose Spurs career ended in 1970. With 17 Premier League goals this season, Kane now trails Erling Haaland by eight. No other player has scored more than four goals for Spurs, and that lack of a consistent second goal threat has undone them a number of times this season. When Kane is brilliant and at his best, Tottenham find a way to grind out wins; when he’s anything but the best striker in the world, Spurs’ margin for error is incredibly thin.
Twice already this season Leicester have gone five or more games without a victory. Brendan Rodgers’ side began the season with just one point from their first seven games. Rodgers bought himself some more time with five wins from the next eight games, before the recent five-game slump hit. Consistently inconsistent is the story of Leicester’s season thus far, and that makes them a dangerous opponent for a Spurs side with two key absences at the back.
Leicester team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Ryan Bertrand (knee), James Justin (achilles) | QUESTIONABLE: Wilfred Ndidi (undisclosed), Boubakary Soumare (thigh), Ricardo Pereira (achilles), Jonny Evans (calf)
Here's your XI for #LEITOT 📝 🔵
— Leicester City (@LCFC) February 11, 2023
Come on, City! pic.twitter.com/t54YQZpu8s
Tottenham team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Cristian Romero (suspension), Hugo Lloris (knee), Yves Bissouma (ankle) | QUESTIONABLE: Lucas Moura (calf), Pape Matar Sarr (hip)
Your Spurs team this afternoon 👊 pic.twitter.com/7Xh4b7zS9y
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 11, 2023
