BEVERLY HILLS, October 25, (THEWILL) – Jamie Vardy assumed the role of a super-sub as he headed home late on to earn Leicester City a lone goal win against Arsenal in Sunday’s Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners had won their previous four home league games and were unbeaten in 11 on their home grounds this calendar year. All that ended with Vardy.
Though unfit to start, the striker was introduced with an hour played and wasted no time to steer in a header 10 minutes from time through what was City’s first attempt on target of the match.
It is the Englishman’s 11th goal in 12 league games against Arsenal just as it ended Leicester’s 28-game wait for an away win against Arsenal in all competitions helping them move up to fourth on the log.
The result may have been different had French striker Alexandre Lacazette’s fourth-minute header not been ruled out for an offside infringement by Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka in front of goal.
Lacazette also missed a couple of good opportunities in a first half that Arsenal dominated. Just as wasteful was his strike partner, the Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who headed wide as his scoreless streak worryingly stretched to a fifth league game.
The hosts then lost Brazilian defender David Luiz to injury early in the second half and it did not help that, in his absence, they were to contend with a different type of threat in the person of Leicester substitute Vardy.
Vardy’s presence immediately caused a slight shift in momentum, even though Arsenal initially continued to look the livelier of the two in the final third. Spaniard Hector Bellerin’s cleanly-struck first-time shot forced Kasper Schmeichel into a rare save.
However, one chance was all that was needed for Vardy to again be the difference between the sides as he headed into the gaping net after being picked out by fellow substitute Cengiz Under.
Bernd Leno denied Vardy a brace in a one-on-one during added time but it did not matter from Leicester’s perspective as they held on for the rarest of victories in this fixture.
Once more, Vardy proves that he has the final say in a Premier League tie with Arsenal. It was one of only two attempts on target for the visitors – the other still a Vardy attempt in stoppage time. On the other hand, Arsenal managed 12 shots and tested Schmeichel four times with nothing to show for it.
City had previously been without a point and a goal in two league games, but this win should help revive their campaign. As for Arsenal, they are proving as inconsistent as ever. And Lacazette ought to have scored at least two goals for all the chances that came his way.
For their next fixtures, both English sides are back in the UEFA Europa League. Arsenal face Dundalk from the Irish Premier Division at home on Thursday, October 29, while Leicester travels to trade tackles with AEK Athens from the Greek Super League 1 on the same day.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
