The Sunday News
LEICESTER CITY striker Jamie Vardy made history on Saturday by scoring for the 11th Premier League match running against Manchester United at the King Power Stadium.
The England forward struck in the 24th minute, running onto Christian Fuchs’s pass and arrowing a shot past David de Gea to break a record he had previously shared with former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy was quick to congratulate Vardy, writing on Twitter: “Well done @vardy7! You’re No 1 now and you deserved it. #11inarow.”
It was Vardy’s 14th goal of the campaign, which makes him the top scorer in the English top flight, but his side went in level at halftime after Bastian Schweinsteiger headed in an equaliser from Daley Blind’s corner.
Leicester and United were both seeking to supplant Manchester City, who overcame Southampton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium earlier to provisionally reclaim first place.
Kevin De Bruyne scored for the first time in six games to put City ahead and went on to create goals for Fabian Delph and Aleksandar Kolarov, with Shane Long replying for Southampton.
“I was very pleased with the team’s reaction,” said City manager Manuel Pellegrini, whose side were beaten by Liverpool and Juventus in their two previous games.
“We were a little nervous until the third goal, but I’m happy with the performance and the result.”
Sergio Aguero gave City’s fans concern when he hobbled off mid-way through the second half, but Pellegrini said that his substitution was merely “a precaution”.
Pellegrini was forced to do without injured goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was replaced by Willy Caballero.
But the hosts went in front in the ninth minute when Raheem Sterling robbed Maya Yoshida and crossed for De Bruyne to tap in from close range.
De Bruyne’s corner in the 20th minute allowed Delph to crown his first league start for City with his first goal for the club, a 25-yard shot that deflected in off Virgil van Dijk.
Long reduced the arrears with a header from a Sadio Mane’s cross early in the second half, but Kolarov restored City’s two-goal cushion by lashing in from De Bruyne’s dinked cross in the 70th minute.
Aguero had departed by that stage, having turned his ankle as he landed after challenging for a high ball, but on the plus side City were able to welcome back both Wilfried Bony and David Silva from injury.
Results
Sunderland 2 – 0 Stoke City
Manchester City 3 – 1 Southampton
Crystal Palace 5 – 1 Newcastle United
Bournemouth 3 – 3 Everton
Aston Villa 2 – 3 Watford Villa Park
Leicester City 1 – 1 Manchester United
— SuperSport
