Leicester 2-0 Watford: Jamie Vardy’s brace settles nerves as league-leading Foxes overcome stubborn visitors to extend their advantage at the top of the Championship table

Leicester returned to winning ways at the top of the Championship courtesy of Jamie Vardy‘s late double that dashed any previous notion suggesting the league leaders were on the verge of being dragged into a fight for automatic promotion.

Vardy started the afternoon on the bench as Kelechi Iheanacho was preferred up top, but finished it with two goals to his name, his second coming in stoppage time from the penalty spot.

The first bitter cold of the season was felt by both teams who lethargically trundled their way through the opening exchanges. Leicester predictably controlled early possession but it was goalkeeper Mads Hermansen who enjoyed most of the ball during a sedentary start.

Kelechi Iheanacho should have given the hosts the lead after pouncing on a misplaced back-pass and going through on goal in the 9th minute. His touch let him down, a slight pull of his shirt didn’t help but it was the initial loss of control that spurned the effort. 

Watford striker Mileta Rajovic was next to waste a golden opportunity as he struck thin air while attempting to turn in a low cross from close-range moments later.

The former England striker once again showed his importance to Leicester with his brace 

Vardy adds a second from the penalty spot to extend Leicester’s lead at the top of the table 

Fluffed efforts ignited proceedings and a brilliant passing move had Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ready to celebrate when his cut-back into a box dominated by three Leicester players crept over the six-yard line. Somehow nobody managed to get a clean touch and Watford were again reprieved.

Chances kept coming and unfortunately so did misses with Watford wastefully blasting a threatening free-kick into the stands before Wilfried Ndidi was caught in two minds whether to shoot or pass at the end of a powerful run from midfield. He decided the latter and Kasey McAteer’s cross was cleared.

A smart set-piece move that resulted in Dewsbury-Hall firing an effort towards goal midway through the first half looked good on the eye but similarly ended on the wrong side of the post. 

It wasn’t for a lack of trying, the issue for Leicester was they had too many players wanting to play beautiful football rather than the ugliness that is sometimes required in the Championship.

Watford sat deep, like the majority of visiting sides that come to the King Power this season and whether scorned upon or not, it was an effective tactic that frustrated the league leaders. 

Leicester suffered back-to-back defeats heading into the international break, they’ve only lost three games all season, and there was evident nervousness about another potential slip-up with second-placed Ipswich playing later in the day.

Groans echoed around the stadium when Iheanacho didn’t want to put his head into a challenge that if he had won would have put him one-on-one with the keeper. McAteer showed more physicality in the minutes preceding half time with a back-post header troubling Daniel Bachmann before the ball was gathered.

The final chance of the half was created and nearly finished by centre-back Wout Faes who found himself in uncharted territory when a one-two with Iheanacho put the Foxes defender in a shooting position, only for his strike to be blocked as the match remained goalless.

Nearly every outfield player of Leicester had tried to force an opener when Ricardo Pereira sought to latch onto a driven ball into the box at the start of the second half but failing to steer it on target. Stephy Mavididi was next to try as he received the ball on the turn in the Watford box but lashed his shot into the side-netting.

So what do you do when your team is creating every chance possible but still unable to score? Bring on Jamie Vardy of course. However, even the Foxes veteran was struggling to find the goal when he scuffed a relatively easy finish over the bar less than 10 minutes after coming on, but the hosts were getting closer.

The moment that changed the game, as Vardy is introduced as a second half substitute 

Dewsbury-Hall’s effectiveness had begun to wane prior to a brilliant piece of skill that led to his effort smashing the post in the 70th minute. 20 minutes to find a winner and Vardy – having done so often throughout his brilliant career – thought he had found it when the goal was gaping as he connected with a volley from six-yards out, but somehow his shot cleared the crossbar. He wouldn’t miss for a third time.

The 36-year-old won his side a free-kick after being floored by Edo Kayembe near the corner flag and it was Vardy who reacted quickest to Jannik Vestergaard’s towering header to tap-in and finally give Leicester a deserved lead. He was fortunate to then not get sent off later in the match when he hacked down Wesley Hoedt in front of the technical area.

Watford’s attack had been non-existent in the second half but suddenly burst into life in the game’s dying embers when Ryan Porteous was given space to fashion a shot towards goal tat was saved comfortably.

Late drama followed when Vardy rounded Watford goalkeeper Bachmann and was brought down by the goalkeeper. 

The Hornets captain had already been booked earlier for dissent and was sent off for a second bookable offence that forced Porteous into going in goal with the visitors having used up their permitted substitutions. 

Vardy finished powerfully and Leicester rather unspectacularly claimed three points that gets their season back on track.