At least Newcastle’s disenchanted supporters enjoyed watching Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, who they applauded after his record-equalling goal and again when he left the field to a standing ovation. It was a unique and well deserved tribute.
The
last player they saw fit to recognise in such a fashion was Steven
Gerrard following one devastating display for Liverpool in 2008.
Here,
they again broke from their booing and suspended the animosity towards
their own sorry side to show appreciation for the brilliant England
frontman.
Vardy
had just equalled Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Premier League record of having
scored in 10 consecutive matches when, with the 28-year-old returning
to the halfway line, St James’ Park hailed the remarkable feat of a
player whose rise from non-League to the history books has captured the
imagination of football fans way beyond the confines of Leicester.
Leicester forward Jamie Vardy (centre) is mobbed by his team-mates after opening the scoring against Newcastle at St James' Park
Vardy celebrates after matching the Premier League record of scoring in 10 consecutive games set by Ruud van Nistelrooy
Vardy skips over the sliding tackle
from Newcastle defender Chancel Mbemba to slot coolly past goalkeeper
Rob Elliot (right) on Saturday
Leicester striker Leonardo Ulloa
(centre) scores his side's second goal of the game with a diving header
at St James' Park on Saturday
Leicester striker Shinji Okazaki pokes
home his side's third goal of the game against Newcastle as Elliot
fails to make the save
Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko
(left) has a shot at goal blocked by Foxes' N'Golo Kante during
Saturday's Premier League clash
Newcastle forward Ayoze Perez (left) battles for the ball with Foxes midfielder Danny Drinkwater during the game on Tyneside
Score
at home to Manchester United next Saturday and a new post-1992 record
will be his. Follow it up with goals against Swansea and Chelsea and he
will surpass the all-time top-flight record set by Sheffield United’s
Jimmy Dunne in 1931.
Lost
a little amid the outpouring of praise for Vardy, however, was the fact
that Leicester’s easy victory – completed by Leonardo Ulloa and Shinji
Okazaki – had seen them cruise to the top of the Premier League.
Yes,
Steve McClaren’s Newcastle were dreadful and both he and his players
were jeered by their own fans, but Leicester had been breathtaking in
the final third.
The
aggressive pace of the daringly direct Vardy allied to the cunning and
guile of Riyad Mahrez has been the inspiration behind their ascent to
the summit of the table and, on this evidence, it is they who are best
equipped to gatecrash the Champions League positions.
If
they keep Vardy fit – he was a doubt for this game with a hip injury
that kept him out of the recent England matches – there is no reason why
Ranieri’s side – organised, energetic and ruthless - cannot continue to
populate the upper echelons.
The Italian, you feel, knows how important his in-form frontman is to that ambition.
‘I’m very happy for him, it’s not easy to equal the record of a champion like Van Nistelrooy,’ he said.
‘I want to say thank you to him. When a manager has a striker who is scoring goals like he is, it makes me very happy.
‘I hope he can beat the record in the next match.’
Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez (left) sprints ahead of the sliding challenge made by Magpies defender Paul Dummett
Leicester striker Ulloa (centre) holds off pressure to get a shot away during the match against Newcastle at St James' Park
Newcastle's defensive midfielder
Cheick Tiote awaits medical attention after getting injured in the
first-half against Leicester on Saturday
Newcastle winger Florian Thauvin (left) jumps for a header alongside Leicester defender Danny Simpson at St James' Park
Newcastle supporters hold up a French flag in the stands as a tribute to those killed in the recent terrorist attacks in Paris
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri
shouts instructions to his players from the dugout during the match
against Newcastle on Saturday
Newcastle right back and Holland
international Daryl Janmaat (left) sends a cross into the Leicester box
during the first-half on Tyneside
Of
Vardy’s touching ovation from the Toon Army, Ranieri added: ‘It was
fantastic to see the Newcastle fans applaud him like that. I love the
English spirit. It was the same when I managed (Gianfranco) Zola at
Chelsea.
‘So I want to say thank you to all of the fans who clapped Jamie.’
Those
same fans were soon spitting venom in the direction of McClaren when he
attempted to applaud them after the full-time whistle.
And
the former England boss, whose side did not once trouble Kasper
Schmeichel, admitted: ‘That’s our worst performance of the season.
‘That’s the worst thing (no shot on target). Even our last game here it was a thrilling 0-0 with lots of shots on target.
‘But we got what we deserved today – and that was nothing.
‘It’s a slow one. It’s two steps forward and three steps back at the moment.’
MATCH FACTS, STATS, PLAYER RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE:
Newcastle (4-4-2): Newcastle
(4-2-3-1): Elliot 7; Janmaat 4.5, Mbemba 4.5, Coloccini 5, Dummett 5;
Anita 5, Tiote 6 (Thauvin 19, 4); Sissoko 5, Wijnaldum 4, Perez 5 (De
Jong 81); Mitrovic 4 (Cisse 62, 5)
Subs not used: Gouffran, Lascelles, Woodman, Sterry
Booked: Anita, Dummett, Sissoko, Perez
Manager: Steve McClaren 4
Leicester (4-4-2): Schmeichel
6; Simpson 6, Morgan 6, Huth 6.5, Fuchs 5; Mahrez 8 (Dyer 88), Kante
6.5, Drinkwater 7, Albrighton 7; Ulloa 6.5 (Okazaki 72, 6), Vardy 8.5
(King 76)
Subs not used: de Laet, King, Schlupp, Schwarzer, Inler
Booked: Huth
Scorers: Vardy 45, Ulloa 64, Okazaki 83
Manager: Claudio Ranieri 8
Attendance: 50,151
Man of the Match: Jamie Vardy
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire) 7
Jamie Vardy goal, 45' - Click HERE for full MATCH ZONE
As bad as Newcastle were, however, the day belonged to Vardy.
His
first chance arrived just six minutes in – taking aim from 12 yards -
but Newcastle’s Aleksandar Mitrovic blocked inside a crowded penalty
area.
Newcastle
had started sluggishly – they did not get any better - and Leicester
soon sought to take advantage. They should have been in front when
Mahrez turned Paul Dummett inside and out before squaring for Ulloa,
whose first-time stab was somehow kept out by Rob Elliot.
Vardy
should have had his goal four minutes before the break when Mahrez
slipped him clear on goal. Elliot, though, had read their intention and
was off his line in a flash to save his low blast.
But
there was nothing the keeper could do to deny Vardy his landmark strike
in first-half stoppage time when he accepted an Ulloa pass before
getting the better of Chancel Mbemba and firing into the bottom corner.
Newcastle defender Dummett rises highest to win a header during the Premier League match against Leicester on Saturday
Perez (centre) dribbles his way out of
pressure from Leicester's Kante (left) and Drinkwater during Saturday's
clash at St James' Park
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel kicks the ball long upfield during Saturday's game against Newcastle at James' Park
France international Sissoko (left) dribbles forward with the ball and is pressed by Leicester's Simpson at St James' Park
Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini (left) vies for the ball with Ulloa during Saturday's Premier League clash on Tyneside
The
hosts could not cope with the combination of Mahrez and Vardy and the
latter then smashed a rising drive against the crossbar having been
sprung clear by his comrade.
The
ease with which Leicester penetrated United’s backline drew moans and
groans from the home crowd and those were amplified just after the hour
mark when Ulloa headed the second after Mahrez landed a cross on his
unmarked brow at the far post.
Vardy
then departed to yet more home applause and most of those supporters
had already streamed for the exits by the time substitute Okazaki forced
a third from close range late on.
With Vardy watching on from the dugout, there was little reason for them to remain.
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