Mauricio Pochettino’s side cashed in on Leicester’s slip-up last weekend after the Foxes drew 2-2 with top-four chasing West Ham United at King Power Stadium.
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Even though Vardy and Leicester have both accepted the improper conduct charges by the FA, the club has confirmed that the striker has asked for a personal hearing to appeal against the possibility of an extended ban for his transgression. But as supporters sang ‘Are you watching, Tottenham?’, there was a feeling that the biggest hurdle – self-belief – had been overcome in a performance that summed up all that has been great about the club’s miracle campaign.
“The Premier League is the most competitive league in the world”.
Leicester doubled their lead on the half hour when Leonardo Ulloa headed home from a Danny Drinkwater free-kick.
A straightforward 4-0 win over Swansea City on Sunday evening opened up an eight-point gap on closest challengers Tottenham Hotspur at the top.
Vardy’s suspension, after 45 consecutive league starts, obliged Ranieri to make his first change in seven matches and he made another unenforced adjustment by replacing left-winger Albrighton with Jeff Schlupp.
Schlupp twice threatened to get on the score-sheet, seeing a low shot parried by Fabianski and then shooting over from outside the box, before the three Leicester substitutes combined for a late fourth goal.
“Hey man, we are in Champions League!”.
The Swans had their moments in their last match, but ultimately fell 3-0 to a scrappy Newcastle side who are fighting for their lives in the Premier League.
The title is not yet won, and Leicester’s fans and players need only look back to last week at the scares that come with looking to win an unlikely title. “Mertesacker turned his back on the ball with his arms in the air and stopped what looked like a certain goal”. Tottenham is eight points behind Leicester heading into Monday’s game against West Bromwich Albion.
“I have 79 points, but that’s not enough”, added Ranieri. It’s okay and we are going to think about the next match.
“I told my players before the match: ‘We have had a dream so far, now make the dream reality”. We’ll be given no chance to get anything at Tottenham like we were given no chance to get anything at Man City so the pressure’s not on us. Now Ranieri’s team is a staggering 29 points ahead of defending champions Chelsea, with the two teams meeting in the last round. “Unbelievable. And now we go straight away to try to win the title”, he exclaimed as reporters cheered the long-awaited recognition.
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“I know there are people out there who, if I don’t win the title, will say, “Ah Ranieri, he always comes second”, said the Italian, who was runner-up to Arsenal with Chelsea in 2004.
