Vardy breaks record, Leicester hold United

Leicester striker Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring his record-breaking 11th consecutive goal in the Premier League in Saturday's clash against Manchester United. Photo: Rui Vieira, AP

Leicester striker Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring his record-breaking 11th consecutive goal in the Premier League in Saturday's clash against Manchester United. Photo: Rui Vieira, AP

Published Nov 29, 2015

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Mike Collett

LONDON: Jamie Vardy wrote his name into the record books on Saturday, becoming the first player to score in 11 successive Premier League matches as his Leicester City team drew 1-1 with Manchester United.

The England striker, who began his run against Bournemouth on August 29 and has now netted 13 times in 11 games, struck an angled shot in the 24th minute at the King Power Stadium to eclipse the mark established by United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2003.

Vardy is now one match away from equalling the all-time English top-flight consecutive scoring run of 12 matches set by Sheffield United’s Irish forward Jimmy Dunne in Division One in 1931-32.

Although Vardy took his goal tally for the season to 14, Leicester were knocked off top spot as Bastian Schweinsteiger’s header at the end of the first half secured a point for United.

Leicester are now second after Manchester City returned to the top on goal difference by beating Southampton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

Kevin de Bruyne, Fabian Delph and Aleksandar Kolarov were on target for the 2012 and 2014 champions, while Shane Long replied for Southampton.

Manchester City and Leicester have 29 points from 14 matches, with United third on 28.

Arsenal, who visit Norwich City on Sunday, are fourth with 26 while Tottenham Hotspur, who host champions Chelsea the same day, are fifth on 24.

Vardy, who was playing minor-league football for Fleetwood Town only three years ago, told Sky Sports: “I am obviously delighted, but the main thing was the performance and I think we put in a very good shift today.”

Asked about the build-up to the match, he said: “If I’d let it get to me it would affect my performance, so I have just been keeping my head down.

“It was another game we wanted to get three points from, but I think a draw was probably a fair result.”

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri was more upbeat, saying: “We had two objectives today, to win the match and to help Jamie, but we took one point, which is okay for us, and Jamie broke the record.

“It is an incredible achievement. This fantastic man is not only the record scorer, but he works so hard.”

United manager Louis van Gaal said he took skipper Wayne Rooney off in the second half because he had a slight injury, but added that he was disappointed with his team’s attacking play.

“I had the feeling that we could have won this game,” said the Dutchman, “but I also have a bad feeling. I told my players these are the kind of matches you have to win if you are going to be champions.”

Crystal Palace were on fire up front at Selhurst Park, moving up to sixth place on 22 points as manager Alan Pardew saw his team thrash his old Newcastle United side 5-1 after the visitors scored first but ended up back in the relegation zone.

Second from bottom Newcastle have 10 points, the same as Bournemouth, who staged a dramatic comeback to draw 3-3 with Everton, having trailed 2-0.

Bournemouth have gone eight games without a win and remain in the bottom three along with Newcastle and Aston Villa, who have five points.

Villa lost 3-2 at home to Watford after 12 minutes of stoppage time following a long delay to treat visiting goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, who suffered a head injury and was stretchered off suffering from concussion.

Sunderland, who won 1-0 at Palace on Monday, climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 victory over Stoke City, who had centre half Ryan Shawcross sent off in the second half. – Reuters

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