Claudio Ranieri, hands in pockets and outwardly unconcerned, was unaware the final whistle had sounded at the end here while the delirious din of victory reverberated around this arena. He was still checking the game had concluded with the fourth official as his team fractured into little groups, small huddles of manic celebration. Even when he was properly sure, there was no dramatic punch of the air, no clenched fist flung towards the chairman up in the stands. The Italian was the picture of calm. Even he looks as if all this is starting to feel routine.
Leicester City’s lead at the top now gapes at seven points with six matches to play, their latest narrow victory a dagger to the hearts of the chasing pack. To put that into context, a year ago to the day they had languished the same number of points adrift of safety at the foot. This team may go through periods of games where they look defensively ragged, a muddle of bodies inside their own penalty area heaving to repel their opponents’ threat and Southampton, like so many teams before them, always felt they were one pinpoint cross or clever creative interchange from hauling themselves level. But that is the deception offered up by Ranieri’s collective. Five of their last six games have now been claimed with a solitary goal.
They keep emerging unscathed, whether through the rugged defiance of those across their back-line or the feverish energy and work rate of N’Golo Kanté or Danny Drinkwater in central midfield. When Southampton threatened most coherently, particularly in a passage of play around the half-hour mark, they found a way to cling on, leaning on Kasper Schmeichel’s agility or Danny Simpson’s ability to recover. Ronald Koeman did suggest post-match, albeit with the caveat that “they will not have won it thanks to the referees”, that they have also taken on that happy good fortune of winners. Michael Oliver might have deemed Simpson’s block on Sadio Mané’s attempt as handball, the ball striking the right elbow locked to the full-back’s side, or penalised Robert Huth for a similar offence on Charlie Austin’s cross late on. But, while both perceived offences were debatable, even luck is rolling with Ranieri.
What is more damning is that opponents have still not found a way of bypassing them. Southampton, like Crystal Palace or Newcastle or Watford or Norwich immediately before them, flung in their crosses and winced at the near misses, pushing for parity and convincing themselves they were the better team, but found no reward. They had rather run out of ideas before the end, when Leicester carried the greater threat on the counterattack and Fraser Forster was forced to push away José Fonte’s sliced clearance and paw out Simpson’s close-range attempt when a second goal seemed inevitable. That opportunity had been gleaned from a Drinkwater backheel and Jamie Vardy’s burst to the byline beyond Cédric Soares – a reminder of the creative quality this side possess.
Their winner came from an unlikely source. Wes Morgan’s last goal had come in a 3-0 rout of Newcastle last May in that unfeasible late charge to Premier League safety. Yet, when an attacking free-kick from the flank broke down just before the interval, the centre-half remained up-field in hope as that irrepressible midfield reclaimed possession and spread the play out to Christian Fuchs on the left. The Austrian’s main threat up to then had been from long throws, but his centre was inviting, Jordy Clasie was caught slightly on his toes and Morgan thumped his header down and beyond Forster. The Jamaica international had returned from international duty with a head cold, which had made his participation here vaguely doubtful. He ended up as his side’s inspiration.
His principal involvement was in repelling Southampton, a side who had started with aspirations of making the top four, and he played his part as significantly as doing his day job. All Leicester’s defenders excelled when called upon: Schmeichel tipped over Fonte’s long-range attempt at full stretch, Huth and Fuchs hooked a succession of dangerous crosses away in the frantic second period, and then there was Simpson. He had initially been at fault for the chance enjoyed by Mané just after the half-hour, the Senegalese running on to Graziano Pellè’s delicious reverse pass inside the right-back and granted the freedom of the Leicester half.
Schmeichel was poorly positioned this time, too advanced on the edge of his own penalty area and in retreat, with the invitation there for Mané to chip. Instead, he wriggled round the goalkeeper while Simpson sprinted round the outside desperately seeking to provide cover on the edge of the six-yard box. He deserved praise for trying to recover the situation, even he did end up blocking the forward’s rather panicked shot with his elbow. Mané’s appeal for a penalty was rather choked in disappointment, and possibly guilt at the sight of an unmarked Victor Wanyama to his right seeking answers for the non-arrival of a pass. The Kenyan would have had a tap-in. – Agencies
- Latest
- Trending
