Jamie Vardy, remember him? Tottenham Hotspur would prefer to forget but last night at the age of 37 he was back to bother them again with his own very special brand of menace.
No house party this time. No wild kitchen celebrations as there were on that night in the spring of 2016 when Tottenham’s challenge was ended by a Chelsea comeback and handed the title to Claudio Ranieri’s 5,000/1 outsiders.
Simply, on this occasion, his ninth Premier League goal against Spurs. And that proved enough to transform what for almost an hour looked like a very comfortable away win into an unlikely point for Leicester City and perhaps the spark required to light the Steve Cooper era.
Vardy was unmarked at the back post to nod in a cross by Abdul Fatawu in the 57th minute and wipe out the opener scored by Pedro Porro in the first half.
He nearly found a winner, foiled by a fabulous Guglielmo Vicario save as he dashed clean through 20 minutes from time.
A header from Jamie Vardy secured a 1-1 draw for Leicester against Tottenham on Monday
Full-back Pedro Porro had opened for Spurs scoring with a glancing first-half header
Vardy almost didn’t start due to injury, but the talismanic forwrad made himself available
Leicester 1-1 Tottenham PLAYER RATINGS
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And could not resist return the taunts from those in he away when he was replaced near the end, stopping to point at the Premier League crest on his sleeve and signalling one for him and zero for them.
It had been all Tottenham for almost an hour, but his goal turned the contest on its head.
How fitting Vardy should be the hero on a night of commemoration for Craig Shakespeare, assistant to Ranieri during that magical season when they won the title before taking over from the Italian as Leicester reached the last eight of the Champions League.
The tributes to Shakespeare, who died this month at the age of 60, included an electrifying minute of applause before kick-off.
Vardy, the last of the players at the club from those glorious times, had plans of his own.
The former England international and Footballer of the Year had not been expected to start against after struggling with injury in preseason but with Patson Daka out injured after an operation, he told Cooper he would give it a go. In fact, he made it through 79 minutes.
For Spurs, the draw tasted like defeat. They had set off with such pace and purpose, zipping passes forward, squeezing up the pitch and forcing Leicester to retreat as they created and failed to convert early chances from a series of corners.
Wilfred Ndidi was on hand to hook clear a near-post header by Rodrigo Bentancur and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen saved a sweet Brennan Johnson volley before Cristian Romero and Dominic Solanke both headed wide from Porro crosses.
Leicester fans paid tribute to former manager Craig Shakspeare, who died recently aged 60
Vardy, 37, scored his ninth goal against Tottenham and almost adde a second late on
Archie Gray a £40m summer signing, made his Spurs’ debut off the bench in the second half
Spurs’ record signing, Dominic Solanke (right) showed promise but failed to net a debut goal
MATCH FACTS & PLAYER RATINGS
Leicester City (4-2-3-1): Hermansen 7; Justin 7, Vestergaard 7, Faes 7, Kristiansen 7; Winks 6.5, Ndidi 7; Fatawu 6, Buonanotte 5 (Soumare 79), De Cordova-Reid 5.5 (McAteer 86); Vardy 7.5 (Mavididi 79).
Subs not used: Ward, Okoli, Nelson, Choudhury, Cannon, Pereira
Goals: Jamie Vardy 57′
Yellow cards: Faes
Manager: Steve Cooper 6.5
Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Vicario 7; Porro 7 (Spence 90+2), Romero 7, Van de Ven 6.5, Udogie 6; Sarr 7, Bentancur 6.5 (Gray 78), Maddison 7 (Kulusevski 79); Johnson 6.6 (Werner 78), Solanke 6, Son 6 (Richarlison 90+2).
Subs not used: Austin, Davies, Dragusin
Goals: Porro 29′
Yellow cards: Bentancur
Manager: Ange Postecoglou 6
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
James Maddison, greeted with a mixed reception on his first return, flickered into life and became more influential as the first half unfolded, looking to penetrate the massed ranks of blue shirts in the Leicester penalty box with disguised passes.
The home crowd delighted when one attempt ended in undignified fashion, with the England international dumped onto his backside near a corner flag, but he was back on his feet conjure the opener for Porro, who darted forward from right back and glanced a header past Hermansen in the 29th minute.
The first half became one of complete domination. Played almost entirely in one half of the pitch, the home crowd’s spontaneous applause at the half time whistle told of their relief at making it through the sanctuary of the interval without greater damage.
Leicester’s only effort at goal was a speculative one from debutant Bobby de Cordova-Reid after Vicario ventured from his penalty area to head clear. It ended up closer to the corner flag than the open goal.
Cooper resisted the urge to make a change during the interval and although the contest continued in the same pattern and Hermansen had to make saves from Solanke and Bentancur his team did begin to threaten on the break.
Leicester took heart, went forward with more confidence and levelled when a left-wing cross by Victor Kristiansen spilled out onto the opposite flank where it was collected by Fatawu and clipped back across.
Vardy found the net with a header from close range. Cue pandemonium and a chaotic finale, disrupted by a long stoppage for treatment for Bentancur. The Uruguay midfielder, who ruptured knee ligaments on his previous appearance at the King Power, clashed heads and fell heavily at a corner.
Foxes manager Steve Cooper will be happy with his side’s resurgent second-half performance
But Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou will rue his side’s failure to capitalise on their opening goal
Thankfully, he was clearly conscious again before being carried off and Postecoglou confirmed afterwards that Bentancur was “conscious and communicating”.
The two teams were able to pick up the same breathless tempo as substitutions came and went. Tottenham made six, including a concussion sub for Bentancur.
Ndidi forced Vicario into another fine save with a header in added time and Richarlison headed the last chance of the game over from a free-kick.
Nobody was eclipsing Vardy. Back in the Premier League with a bang.
