Vardy nets a hat-trick and Mahrez shines, as Foxes get their bite back

Leicester City needed some kind of reaction after a midweek drubbing. The 4-2 win over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City was the way to do it. Claudio Ranieri and his players look to be back to what they’re capable of. It was an early party for the Foxes too, 3-0 up within twenty minutes. Chants of Ranieri’s name rang out around the King Power stadium once again.

The Foxes have had a problem this season in starting games sluggishly and too often finding themselves behind in the opening quarter. In this game, it was the home side who capitalised and started brightly. The side was largely back to the one that started the last Premier League game, Islam Slimani preferred to partner Jamie Vardy. It’s been a combination that hadn’t quite realised its potential, until today anyway. Vardy bagged a hat-trick, a first for him at Leicester, and Slimani was crucial alongside him, unfortunate not to get a goal of his own, but notching two assists.

Vardy’s been on a goal drought recently, but it’s not been all his fault, his teammates simply not able to offer enough supply. It felt like once he had a goal though, more would follow and happily for the Foxes, it did. His confidence should be restored, after his third minute goal rocked Manchester City. It was a combination between our Algerian duo, Mahrez with a one-touch pass to Slimani, who set the England striker free. It was a typical Vardy goal. His hat trick was sealed midway through the hall after being alert to a poor back-pass by John Stones that left Claudio Bravo stranded, Vardy able to round him and get the ball over the line from a tight angle, goal line technology confirming it and setting off rather wild celebrations.

While the England striker picked up the man of the match award, it was a relief to see others back to their best too. Riyad Mahrez has had his critics this season, sometimes rightly, sometimes unfairly. He surely can’t have too many after this performance though. The tricky, creative maestro we were so often in awe of last year was back at his best dancing around and away from almost everybody. His relationship with Slimani continues to be a great linking point and seems to allow him to shine more.

It was the winger’s little touches and single moves today that were unplayable and particularly eye-catching. Twice he made one quick and perfectly placed pass to tee up his team-mates and contribute to setting up goals. His ability to bring the ball down and control not bettered by many right now. He didn’t score today, but he did come close. Having been so instrumental in the tearing apart of Manchester City at the Etihad in February, Mahrez once again stood out.

Slimani too deserves a lot of the plaudits. It can’t be easy to pick between him and Okazaki sometimes, because both can be vital but are so different. Today seemed to suit the Algerian to the ground though. He was infuriated with himself when his header wasn’t on target following a superb Marc Albrighton cross. That kind of passion is exactly what fans have wanted lately. His two assists more than made up for that miss though, his team contribution fantastic. Leicester don’t have many who can hold up a ball like he and who can grapple with the bigger defenders. That sort of role ensures Vardy can remain further up and with hopefully less players marking him.

So often this season, we’ve had the team as a whole under perform, but not today. Yes, some players were outstanding, but the team as a unit were effective, it came together in ways that we’ve just not been able to manage in the Premier League this campaign. Guardiola’s City are still a fledgling side who look to be adjusting to his system. Their defence has looked vulnerable at best this season and today it was a makeshift combination at centre-back, Bacary Sagna filling in for the suspended Nicholas Otamendi. Should the Foxes press them, you felt they were open to making mistakes. Ranieri’s team had done their homework, exposing every chink in the away side’s armour.

Even without Sergio Aguero, Manchester City have dangerous, attacking players. So it was a little surprising that they struggled so much to get any of these players to make an impact. De Bruyne failed to show his capabilities and Kelechi Iheanacho was largely starved of the ball. Instead, their best driving force in attack was Aleksandar Kolarov, who while defensively lacking, was causing issues for our defence. The Serbian defender effective going forward and his free-kick that opened Manchester City’s tally was superb, giving Ron Robert Zieler no chance. He was also the provider for their second. Some credit still must go to Leicester’s defending.

It was a little disappointing that such a tenacious and fighting display wasn’t rewarded with a clean sheet, but that has only been one of Leicester’s problems this season. A little of the intensity had dropped off once we got to 4-0, allowing simple little mistakes, like the Christian Fuchs’ tackle that gifted City the free-kick and then not closing down Nolito who got the second. That can be worked on though, as otherwise this was our best defensive display of the season. Particularly considering the possession that the away side had and the number of set pieces too.

Robert Huth has been a talking point after so many games this season. This was his best of the campaign so far. He didn’t seem to suffer from pace, even beating a forward to the ball at one point and won almost everything in the air. He and Wes Morgan haven’t looked like the same partnership for many matches, but this was a return to what we’re used to. In terms of communication, it’s possibly the most comfortable the back-line have looked with Zieler. Possibly unfortunate given Kasper Schmeichel is raring to go, and almost ready to return. For Danny Simpson, this was a better game again, though he did pick up his fifth booking, ruling him out of our next fixture. Fuchs did his job comfortably at the back, but also impressed going forward. His long throw helped form the second goal, another thing we’ve not utilised enough recently.

It was a team display more in line with the Leicester of last year. An almost perfect demonstration of counter-attacking form with the same level of tenacity and grit we needed to see. Easily the best performance in the Premier League for the Foxes so far. Even central midfield, an area of much concern, was less problematic today. For large spells, Andy King and Daniel Amartey looked to have things under control and were able to help make things happen. For King, it was an even better afternoon as he got himself on the score sheet with Leicester’s second. It was a well worked team goal, Fuchs’ throw well read and played with great control by Slimani to tee up King to have a shot. It was an incredibly well taken goal, the best of the individual efforts and nice for the long-serving midfielder who’s copped his share of criticism of late.

With a fairly busy month ahead, Leicester have the perfect chance to take this result and build on it, starting with a trip to Bournemouth midweek.