- Huth’s 83rd minute header grabs win
- Leicester joint-top
- Spurs lose ground on top three
Leicester City beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at White Hart Lane on Wednesday with Robert Huth’s perfectly placed header seven minutes from time grabbing all three points for Claudio Ranieri’s side to take them joint-top with Arsenal.
The Foxes and Spurs went at it in an entertaining counter -- their second clash in three days following a 2-2 draw in the FA Cup third round at White Hart Lane on Sunday -- as Erik Lamela missed numerous chances and Harry Kane’s shot was flicked onto the crossbar by the excellent Kasper Schmeichel.
With the win Leicester stay in second on goal difference and are on 43 points, while Spurs stay in fourth and remain on 36 points.
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Tottenham came flying out of the traps with Eriksen forcing Schmeichel into a comfortable save down low, then Kane causing a nuisance but was in an offside position and then Dele Alli sent a low shot just wide inside he opening 10 minutes.
Things calmed down a little but Spurs continued to press as Toby Alderweireld’s header was clawed out of the top corner by Schmeichel.
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Leicester grew into the game as Spurs lost possession at the back and after Vardy’s shot was blocked by Jan Vertonghen, Shinji Okazaki’s follow up went wide. Danny Drinkwater’s volley was then superbly stopped by Hugo Lloris as the Frenchman tipped the dipping effort just wide. Spurs pinned the Foxes back but couldn’t find a way through in the first half.
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Efforts from Drinkwater and Vardy deflected just wide at the start of the second half as Leicester started brightly, but Lamela came agonizingly close to giving Spurs the lead but the Argentine winger scuffed his shot just wide of the far post following a surging run and cross from Ben Davies down the left.
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Spurs pushed hard to go in front and came even closer in the 60th minute as Lamela played in Kane and Schmeichel blocked his effort and the ball looped up onto the bar, with Alli’s follow-up deflected just wide.
374 - Robert Huth's goal ends a run of 374 minutes without a Premier League goal for Leicester. Rebooted.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 13, 2016
Lamela skewed another flicked effort just wide and then Leicester were denied four times in quick succession as Marc Albrighton, Riyad Mahrez, Drinkwater and Leonardo Ulloa all had efforts blocked.
Alli had an effort saved by Schmeichel as the end-to-end game continued to play out, and then Huth’s game-winning moment arrived in the 83rd minute as Christian Fuch’s corner found the German center back completely unmarked and he headed home expertly. 1-0 and that’s how it ended to send the away fans home happy and put Leicester joint-top of the table.