- Leicester 6W-1D in last 7
- 8-plus hours without conceding
- Vardy nabs 20th in PL
- Sunderland can’t finish
Jamie Vardy, everybody.
The Leicester City man netted his 20th and 21st goals of the season to lift the fairytale Foxes to a 2-0 win at Sunderland on Sunday
The win lifts the Foxes to a 10-point lead over Spurs before Tottenham faces Manchester United at 11 a.m. ET.
The home loss leaves Sunderland in 18th, two points ahead of Newcastle and four behind next week’s opponents in Norwich City
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The visitors were buzzing out of the gates, with N’Golo Kante’s relentless pressure earning an early corner from Younes Kaboul that came to nothing. Notice, however, was served.
Shinji Okazaki had a decent penalty shout when DeAndre Yedlin’s attempted clearance caught the forward in the chest, but no call.
Kaboul powered a 15-yard header over Schmeichel and the frame in the 36th minute.
Fabio Borini got the next big chance. Fed by Defoe, the Italian took a hard shot that took a turn off Wes Morgan. An off-balance Schmeichel did very well to parry the effort.
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And how about this halftime stat?0 - Leicester City have now gone 7 hours and 25 minutes without conceding a Premier League goal. Barricade.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 10, 2016
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Borini probably could’ve netted a few times, but his finish has been off for so much of the season. He gets into fine position, but has only netted thrice in 17 starts.
Vardy found Danny Drinkwater moments later, but the latter took too hard a touch and Mannone and Yedlin closed down the danger.
Vardy’s 20th goal was a beauty and pretty much his standard, as he blazed down the left wing to collect a gorgeous ball from Drinkwater. The Englishman dinked it past Mannone to make it 1-0 with 25 minutes to play.
Jack Rodwell missed a sitter in the 82nd minute, sending it zooming by the right upper 90.
At the other end, Kante slipped Leonardo Ulloa through only to see the Argentine take a bad touch and miss the insurance opportunity.
Mannone made a terrific point-blank save on substitute Daniel Amartey in the third minute of stoppage time.
Vardy then barreled past Patrick van Aanholt and dribbled around Mannone to slot home his 21st.