Jamie Vardy, remember him? Tottenham would rather forget him, but last night he was back to haunt them at the age of 37.
No house party this time. No celebrations like those that took place on that night in 2016 when Tottenham’s title challenge was finally ended by Chelsea, handing the title to Claudio Ranieri’s 5,000/1 outsiders.
This time it was only his ninth goal in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur, turning what looked like a comfortable away win into a fierce match and ultimately an unlikely point for Leicester.
Vardy seemed to be free at the far post and nodded in a cross from Abdul Fatawu. He almost scored the second goal with 20 minutes to go to put his team ahead.
That time he was thwarted by a fantastic save from Guglielmo Vicario, after which the match was interrupted in the closing stages by a long stoppage for treatment for Rodrigo Bentancur.
Leicester talisman Jamie Vardy headed in a goal in the 57th minute to secure a 1-1 draw
Tottenham defender Pedro Porro opened the scoring with a glassy header in the 29th minute
Jamie Vardy almost didn’t start for the home side, but made himself available to play
The Uruguayan midfielder, who tore his knee ligaments in his previous appearance at the King Power Stadium, suffered a head injury but was clearly conscious before being stretchered off the field.
Tottenham were dominant for almost an hour until Vardy struck.
Ange Postecoglou’s team took the lead in the first half through Pedro Porro and James Maddison seemed to relish it, easing the disappointment of England’s Euro 2020 rejection on familiar ground against his old club
The Londoners should have scored more often when they were ahead, but when the scores were level the home crowd erupted and their players responded.
Wilfred Ndidi forced Vicario into another great save with a header in injury time and substitute Richarlison headed over the last chance of the game from a free kick.
Leicester returned to the Premier League in one fell swoop and became champions of the Championship. The mood before this match was, however, filled with anxiety as the new manager was tight on spending and the squad was plagued by injuries.
An evening to commemorate Craig Shakespeare added a poignant and subdued touch to the build-up, before the evening was graced by applause in tribute to the King Power legend who died earlier this month at the age of 60.
Shakespeare was Claudio Ranieri’s assistant during that unforgettable 2015/16 season, which saw them win the title, succeeding the Italian as Leicester reached the last eight of the Champions League.
Vardy, the last player in the dressing room from those glorious days, was also declared fit to start in Steve Cooper’s first game as manager, coincidentally against the North London club who ended his spell as manager of Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in December.
Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevksi, Spurs’ goalscorers in the 2-0 win that day, were on the bench as Postecoglou started with newcomer Solanke in attack, flanked by Heung-min Son and Brennan Johnson.
The visitors started with pace and determination. They dominated the midfield, played quick passes, controlled the pitch and forced Leicester into a retreat. They created early chances from a series of corners but squandered them.
Ndidi was on hand to clear a Rodrigo Bentancur header at the near post and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen saved a superb volley from Brennan Johnson, before Cristian Romero and Solanke both headed wide from Porro’s cross.
Maddison was met with mixed feelings on his first return, but came to life in the first half and became increasingly influential, attempting to break through the large group of blue shirts in the Leicester penalty area with disguised passes.
The home crowd were delighted when an effort ended in undignified fashion, with the England international being pushed to his backside at a corner flag. He rose again, however, to set up Porro for the opening goal. In the 29th minute, he surged forward from right-back and headed the ball past Hermansen.
A head injury to Spurs player Rodrigo Bentancur sapped the momentum of a resurgent Leicester
The first half was a complete domination. It was played almost entirely in one half of the pitch and the spontaneous applause that greeted the half-time whistle spoke of their relief that they had survived the break without any major damage.
Leicester’s only attempt on target was a speculative effort from debutant Bobby de Cordova-Reid after Vicario ventured out of his penalty area to head it clear, but it ended up closer to the corner flag than the open goal.
Cooper held back from making any substitutions at half-time. Although the game continued in the same vein, with Hermansen having to make saves from Solanke and Bentancur, his team began to look more dangerous on the transition.
Pape Matar Sarr gave chase and thwarted a goal from De Cordova-Reid, but Leicester took heart and equalised when a cross from the left from Victor Kristiansen was collected by Fatawu and headed deep into the path of Vardy, who found the net from close range with a header.
It became chaos and a chaotic final.