Leicester City 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
This was a test Tottenham would have failed to overcome not so long ago.
Yet Mauricio Pochettino’s troops are growing in stature and belief as each Premier League season passes and here was further proof.
I’m not advising SBOBET fans to back the North Londoners for a title bid this term because that will prove too big an ask.
But the Premier League 2018 betting odds make them a strong tip for a top-four finish.
Highlights of the game
This felt like it could be Leicester’s night.
Here was Claude Puel’s side on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run, one in which you had to go back to October for their last defeat against a resurgent Arsenal.
England defender Harry Maguire, who had not played for a month, was back on the bench. And while Jamie Vardy (four goals and three assists in his last seven Premier League appearances against Spurs) was still out with a groin problem, they were up against a somewhat weakened Spurs side.
With one eye on Tuesday’s must-win Champions League tie away at Barcelona, Pochettino rested Harry Kane (a one-time Leicester loanee) and Christian Eriksen on the bench; the Foxes sensed they could benefit.
In truth, they could have.
In a first half devoid of many chances, Leicester were comfortably holding their opponents until a middle before the break.
That’s when Korean favourite Son Heung-min cut inside from the edge of the box and, with Jonny Evans a yard too slow in coming out to block, curled a wonderful shot beyond Kasper Schmeichel – a definite goal for the Premier League 2018 highlights compilation.
Kane applauded warmly from the bench at such an expert finish.
One shot on target, one goal, and Spurs had lift-off.
Twelve minutes after the re-start came their second effort on target, and they had sealed a win to take them to 36 points and move back up to third (their best record after 16 top-flight matches since 1960-61).
Lucas Moura found Son, and his delivery fond Dele Alli who, despite being marginally offside, executed a perfectly angled header past the helpless Schmeichel.
He may have had fortune on his side with this one, but it was his 50th goal in all competitions for Spurs. Since 2015, only Son (52) and Kane (117) have more for the club in all competitions.
With Belgian duo Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld in imperious form in the centre of defence, Spurs were resolute and the points were won.
Lacklustre Leicester, for whom football must seem secondary at times after their recent tragedy, lacked a cutting edge without Vardy and were well beaten.
Key statistics
Son has been directly involved in four goals in his last two league starts against Leicester City (three goals, one assist). His start to the season was disrupted by his successful attempt to avoid military service in helping South Korea win the Asian Games, but he has been important of late with three goals and three assists in his last six league games.
This ended Leicester’s six-match unbeaten league run (drawn four, won two), their best since ending the title-winning 2015-16 season with a 12-match streak.
Tottenham now have 36 points, which is their best record after 16 top-flight matches since 1960-61, when they had the equivalent of 46 points.
Since Leicester returned to the Premier League in 2014, this fixture has produced 36 goals – second only to Arsenal vs Liverpool (38) during that period.
Tottenham earned their biggest-ever Premier League away win when they beat Leicester 6-1 in May 2017 in an end-of-season meeting.
Puel’s side has registered just four wins in 15 league games at the King Power Stadium since the beginning of February (drawn six, lost five).
Spurs, beaten at Arsenal last weekend in the North London derby, have not suffered consecutive Premier League away defeats since November 2017.
Tottenham boast an unrivalled 13 Premier League away victories in 2018.
They have gone 20 league matches without a draw since April, winning 15 and losing five.
Top of Form
What’s next?
Leicester are away at Crystal Palace a week today (December 15) before hosting Man City three days later in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.
Spurs have a crunch Champions League meeting at the Camp Nou in just three days as they meet Barcelona.
That is followed by the visit of Burnley next week and then it’s the North London derby, the short journey to arch rivals Arsenal, also in the last eight of the League Cup (December 19).
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