THE POST-Claudio Ranieri feel-good factor at Leicester City showed no sign of letting up as they beat West Ham United 3-2 in a thriller at London Stadium to continue Craig Shakespeare’s 100 per cent start as the Premier League champions’ manager.
Tuesday’s intense 2-0 win over Sevilla that secured passage to the Champions League quarter-finals did appear to impact their laboured second-half performance, but a sprightly start and dogged defending towards the end were ultimately crucial as Leicester clinched their first away league win of the season.
They picked up right where they left off on Tuesday with a remarkable start to go two goals up within seven minutes – Riyad Mahrez and Robert Huth stunning the hosts.
West Ham soon got themselves a lifeline through a fine Manuel Lanzini free-kick, though Leicester re-established a two-goal lead late in the first half through Jamie Vardy.
But West Ham responded once more as they pulled another one back just after the hour mark – Andre Ayew nodding in from close range as the home side looked to ensure a tense ending for Leicester.
Kasper Schmeichel was at his very best to make a vital late save, while an awful Ayew miss let Leicester off the hook and saw the match slip away from West Ham.
- Elsewhere, a resurgent Crystal Palace chalked up a third consecutive Premier League victory to move four points clear of the relegation zone as a Troy Deeney own goal was enough to beat Watford 1-0.
Back-to-back league wins over Middlesbrough and West Brom had helped move Palace out of the bottom three and Sam Allardyce’s men continued their revival at Selhurst Park, albeit with a little helping hand from Deeney.
Palace had appeared the more dangerous side in a match between two evenly-matched teams with Wilfried Zaha looking particularly threatening for the Eagles.
And they got their reward when Deeney, who earned a 1-1 draw for Watford in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day, headed past Heurelho Gomes when attempting a clearance in the 68th minute.
The result leaves Palace two places and four points clear of Hull City, who are 18th, with a game in hand, while Watford may still be throwing nervous glances at bottom three, albeit they have a seven-point buffer with 10 games to go.
Sunderland failed to score for the fourth consecutive match as a 0-0 home draw against Burnley moved them a step closer to relegation from the Premier League.
Billy Jones missed the hosts’ best opportunity with a second-half header as David Moyes’ men halted a three-match losing streak, but again failed to find the net.
Bottom-of-the table Sunderland now sit further away from safety – a seven-point gap after Crystal Palace’s win over Watford – and have just 10 games left if they are to launch another great escape.
Burnley themselves are struggling for form and this was their sixth straight match without a victory, but Sean Dyche will see what is just a third away point of the season as a positive.
#mind the gap
#mindthegap