Spurs 4 City 3
Report by Kate Thompson
The talking point in this game was the diabolical awarding of a penalty for an apparent foul by Nugent on Rose. The worst crime Nugent committed was to delay too long on the ball, enabling Rose to pinch it off him. It looked more like a foul on Nugent and after seeing it again on Match of the Day, my opinion hasn’t changed. At that stage the game was level and, if anything, City were in the ascendancy, so it was a real game-changer.
Pearson opted for an attacking line-up, with Nugent, Vardy and Ulloa up front; Mahrez and Kramaric dropped to the bench. The other change was a return after injury for Schmeichel.
City started rather slowly, as is often their wont, and were two goals down after only 13 minutes, both of them scored by the one-time City loanee, Harry Kane. Those who thought he might not play in his usual way after his England call-up were very wide of the mark. However City rallied and a lovely move between Nugent and Vardy – so reminiscent of many games last season – saw the latter score a beauty in the 38th minute.
Upson was replaced for the second half by Wasilewski, apparently because of injury and in the 49th minute Morgan scored his first Premier League goal – a header from a corner, something as rare as hens’ teeth for City!
The goal got the City fans backing their team vociferously and we began to dream that we could get something from the match, until referee Mike Dean kicked us in the teeth with the penalty award; Kane duly dispatched the goal, to score his hat-trick in the 64th minute. The whole incident left the players, management and fans incandescent with rage.
Things got worse in the 85th minute when Jeff Schlupp was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the ball hit him to give Spurs a fourth goal – yet another example of our run of bad luck this season. I no longer subscribe to the view that luck evens itself out over a season, this year Leicester City have been hit with one sucker punch after another, but it guess that is what happens when you are struggling. Nugent scored an excellent third goal at the death, but it was no more than a consolation.
Huth was replaced by Mahrez in the 76th minute and Cambiasso by King in the 85th; the latter had played very well again and was orchestrating much of the midfield moves. He broke up play, challenged and won the ball time after time – if only he were ten years younger!
For me, the one weak link was Ulloa, although he had a hand in the first goal; too often he failed to hold a ball or make a telling move; it was quite a surprise that he played the whole game. Nugent and Vardy, on the other hand, played their socks off and both got a goal.
My man of the match was Schlupp, who was effective defending and going forward, and was a constant threat. I thought Schmeichel looked ring-rusty and was not very convincing at times; in his post-match interview, he admitted that he had found it hard.
Of the rest, I thought they played well and if they can play at this intensity – what so many of us have been asking for so long – we might still have a chance. But we are running out of games and are still seven points adrift.
Tottenham: Lloris (Vorm 4), Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Mason (Dembele 88), Bentaleb, Townsend (Paulinho 58), Eriksen, Chadli, Kane. Subs not used: Chiriches, Adebayor, Lamela, Davies
Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Huth (Mahrez 76), Upson (Wasilewski 46), Schlupp, Nugent, James, Cambiasso (King 86), Vardy, Ulloa. Subs not used: Konchesky, Drinkwater, Schwarzer, Kramaric
Attendance: 35,950 Referee: Mike Dean
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation