[ad_1]
Jamie Vardy and Brendan Rodgers
Brendan rodgers greeted “world class” Jamie Vardy after he sealed Leicester’s late 1-0 win like sputter Arsenal fell to a third loss in their last four Premier League games on Sunday.
Vardy was only fit enough for the bench after a calf injury, but Foxes coach Rodgers sent the forward with 30 minutes to go. Vardy responded with his sixth goal of the season.
The 33-year-old has gotten used to tormenting Arsenal and has now scored 11 goals in 12 Premier League games against them.
“Our plan was always to bring Jamie Vardy into the game and he can stretch it out,” Rodgers said.
“He makes the great contributions in the big games,” he added after Leicester’s first win at Arsenal since 1973.
“That shows you the level he’s at and he’s a world-class player. I’m lucky to have him.”
Leicester rose to fourth place after ending a two-game losing streak in the league.
“We deserved it, we played a really good team and we have players who can run behind,” Rodgers said.
“Keeping a clean sheet and playing with quality and calm was good.”
Arsenal languish in 10th place after a second straight loss in the league following their 1-0 loss to Manchester City last weekend.
But it could have been a different story when, at the start of a goalless match, Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette headed from a corner only to have his effort nullified for offside against Granit Xhaka.
Gunner chief Mikel Arteta was also disappointed by his team’s lack of vanguard.
“I’m really disappointed, we got our hands on it in the first half and I don’t know how the hell Lacazette’s goal got canceled,” Arteta said.
“It is difficult to create spaces with 10 men behind the ball, but we should have finished the game better.”
The main problem is a sudden drop in the form of Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gabon forward is scoreless in his last five league games, his worst drought since 2014, although he did score against Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday.
Aubameyang has scored just once in the league this season, hardly the kind of form Arteta would have hoped for after handing the forward a lucrative new contract in September.
Arsenal’s ability to fight for the top four is based on Aubameyang leading the way. So far this quarter has been a failure.
Leno ran out of his line, but his clearance attempt went straight to James Maddison. The midfielder’s 40-yard effort was diverted.
Alexandre Lacazette headed in from an Arsenal corner moments later, but the goal was disallowed for offside against Granit Xhaka.
Arsenal were on top and Bukayo Saka’s shot forced a good save from Kasper Schmeichel before Aubameyang approached from a cross from Kieran Tierney.
Lacazette should have done better with a good chance from another Tierney cross before Saka hit the side net.
Arsenal suffered a blow when David Luiz limped off early in the second half.
Arteta sent Nicolás Pepe to the middle of the middle in an attempt to cheer on Arsenal.
Bellerin brought in a nice save from Schmeichel when he encountered a cross from Aubameyang with a powerful volley.
But Arsenal were hit with a punch in the 80th minute.
Youri Tielemans’ ball over the top for Cengiz Under was perfectly weighted and the Turk crossed the goal for Vardy to head into the empty net.
