THE NOTEBOOK: James Maddison gets a mixed reception from Leicester fans as former Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp watches from the posh seats after swapping a probable top-four push for a possible relegation

Jamie Vardy scored the 137th goal of his Premier League career to earn Leicester City a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night.

Vardy headed home a close-range equaliser in the 52nd minute after Spurs had completely bossed the first half.

Pedro Porro had earlier scored Tottenham’s opener just before the half-hour mark.

Porro and Rodrigo Bentancur both later went off with injuries as what had looked like being a perfect start for Ange Postecoglou‘s men turned into a frustrating one. 

Mail Sport’s TOM COLLOMOSSE takes a look at some of the things you may have missed at the King Power Stadium.

Skipp in the stands 

Oliver Skipp has swapped a probable top-four push for a possible relegation by leaving Tottenham for Leicester on the eve of this game.

The midfielder, fresh from joining the Foxes in a £25million deal, sat alongside Conor Coady in the posh seats.

He could make his debut at Fulham on Saturday.

Oliver Skipp pictured (top, centre) watching from the stands at the King Power Stadium

Mixed reception for Maddison 

James Maddison was a fine player for Leicester but, in the eyes of some fans, his spell was tainted as he was part of the team surprisingly relegated two years ago.

Though there were some boos for the midfielder, there was applause too.

An unlikely rivalry continues

On the face of it, these two clubs have relatively little in common – yet a strong rivalry has developed thanks to some particularly spicy duels in the last 25 years.

In the League Cup final of 1999, Robbie Savage wound up Tottenham something rotten – but Tottenham took away the trophy.

Then Leicester won the 2016 Premier League title at Spurs’ expense and six years’ later, Spurs claimed a degree of revenge, winning here on the last day of the season to deny Leicester a top-four finish.

Jamie Vardy taunted Spurs fans by gesturing he had one Premier League title more than them

Tributes for Shakespeare

Supporters paid a touching tribute before kick-off to Craig Shakespeare, a revered figure in Leicester’s modern history and one of the main architects of their Premier League title triumph in 2016. 

Shakespeare, who served Leicester as both assistant manager and manager, died on August 1. He was 60.

Fans unfurled a banner that read ‘Thank You Shakey 1963-2024’ and carried an image of Shakespeare.

He was Claudio Ranieri’s right-hand man in the title-winning season and was one of the driving forces behind the tactical plan that took Leicester to that remarkable success.

He was also manager when the club reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League the following year.

Leicester fans pictured holding up a banner in memory of former manager Craig Shakespeare

A better night for Cooper

Steve Cooper and Ange Postecoglou have a good relationship off the field but the new Leicester boss’ heart probably sank when he saw Spurs would be his first opponents as Foxes boss.

Cooper’s last Premier League game as a manager came on December 15, when his Nottingham Forest side were beaten 2-0 at home.

Cooper was sacked four days later. The opponents that Friday night? Tottenham, of course.

Albrighton back at the King Power

Jamie Vardy is the only member of THAT title-winning squad who is still going at Leicester – though another key man from that triumph was a keen spectator.

Marc Albrighton left the club only at the end of last season when his contract expired, bringing to an end a decade at the club that also included an FA Cup victory.

Albrighton was able to take this one in from the media sector in his role as a pundit for radio.