Ranieri acknowledged Vardy’s red card had had a big impact on the game, telling Sky Sports: “It was a hard match – very, very tough”.
Advertisement
Vardy had not only been denied a penalty but Leicester’s top scorer received a second booking after being adjudged to have dived.
Tottenham have a bitter rivalry with West Ham but supporters of the north Londoners unashamedly celebrated when an Andy Carroll penalty and a stunning Cresswell half-volleyed finish put West Ham 2-1 up with four minutes at the King Power Stadium.
He gave Leicester their own spot-kick deep in injury time and Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri also declined to hit out at Moss but insisted Vardy did not dive.
Leonardo Ulloa’s late penalty rescued a point for the Foxes and allowed them to extend their lead at the top to eight points.
“We could be third and flying”.
Ranieri remained unruffled despite the setback, studiously avoiding denouncing the referee.
West Ham, meanwhile, hold their ground in sixth place, with UEFA competition next year a very realistic scenario – and Champions League an ambitious dream. Carroll claimed Moss was trying to “equal it out” after Schlupp went down before contact was made.
But Carroll conceded a penalty in the last minute of stoppage time, which Ulloa converted to extend Leicester’s lead over second-placed Spurs to eight points.
“This was our soul, we play every match with blood, heart and soul, it was magnificent”, added the Italian whose team had won their last five games to close on their first English top-flight title. “Nothing changes. Never have I spoke or will speak about the referee”, he said.
Barring an appeal, Vardy will be forced to sit out Leicester’s next match against Swansea City.
West Ham were unlucky not to score in the second minute off a Cheikhou Kouyaté header which was barely deflected onto the inside post by Kasper Schmeichel before ricocheting onto the outside post and into the goalkeepers arms.
Schmeichel threw the ball to Riyad Mahrez, who charged down the right flank before releasing N’Golo Kante. It would prove costly. “It is just disappointing and there’s nothing we can do about it when others are making the decision”.
Vardy looked destined to grab his second of the day after just 55 minutes but he was unable to get a toe on Shinji Okazaki’s delivery which trickled invitingly across the face of goal.
He collected his second caution for simulation 11 minutes into the second half after tangling with defender Angelo Ogbonna inside the penalty area. “I judge my players not the referee, the referee is not my matter”.
It was the first goal Schmeichel had conceded in 574 minutes and he was beaten again two minutes later.
Advertisement
In among all the controversy Leicester squandered a 1-0 advantage before scoring a late equaliser to snatch what could be a critical point in the title race. “If there is another team who play better and win more than us, well done to them”.
