Leicester City survived a frantic, nervy finale to hold on for a superb victory over Tottenham.
Stunning strikes from Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez proved to be the difference as Spurs created, and squandered, a host of chances to add to Harry Kane’s strike, which set up the pulsating, palm-sweating final minutes.
Two years to the day Jamie Vardy made history, scoring in his 11th consecutive game against Manchester United to break Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record.
It was a memorable moment in an unforgettable campaign. Things haven’t gone as smoothly for Vardy or City since, but there have been moments to savour.
Vardy delivered one such moment after just 13 minutes against Tottenham, a goal to add to his collection of ‘did you see that’ strikes.
The energetic Marc Albrighton clipped a ball over the top of the Spurs defence and Vardy let it drop over his shoulder before delicately lobbing it on the volley over the stranded figure of keeper Hugo Lloris.
Vardy hadn’t looked to see if the Spurs stopper was off his line, or whether there was a covering defender. It was the pure instinct of a natural goalscorer.
Before the game, new City boss Claude Puel described Vardy and Riyad Mahrez as his two most important players, and both of them delivered during an entertaining clash against Spurs.
Harry Kane, who had scored 10 goals in nine games against City, was supposed to be the star attraction, but Vardy and then Mahrez stole his thunder.
Vardy’s eye-catcher proved to be the appetiser at the start of a thrilling first half and Mahrez delivered the main course in first half added time to cap an excellent attacking display.
City fans will never tire of seeing Mahrez in full flight, cutting in off the flank on to his left foot as defenders back-track before bending the ball inside the far corner of the net. He has done it before on regular occasions, but this was even more spectacular.
City deserved their half-time lead, but they also had Kasper Schmeichel to thank for two wonderful one-on-one saves.
City hadn’t kept Kane completely quiet and he had picked out the run of Moussa Sissoko for what should have been the equaliser two minutes after Vardy’s opener, but Schmeichel stuck out a big Danish boot and Vicente Iborra was covering to prevent the ball dropping into the net.
Schmeichel repeated the trick when Spurs broke three on two and Christian Eriksen picked out Dele Alli. He might have had a couple of shaky moments with the ball at his feet earlier in the half, but it was his feet that were saving City.
Defeat would see Spurs lose three consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since under Tim Sherwood in March 2014 and inevitably they came out strongly in the second half.
City had struggled to hold on to leads this season so Spurs were given every incentive.
However, with Spurs pushing so much City were still looking dangerous on the break and Shinji Okazaki headed a Ben Chilwell cross over the bar.
Spurs threw on Fernando Llorente and Heung-Min Son and they combined to set up a great chance for Eriksen with 15 minutes to go but he thrashed the ball wide with the goal at his mercy from close range.
But Kane showed them the way to goal in the 79th minute when he pulled Spurs back into the game.
He lost Harry Maguire before latching on to Son’s pass.
City had simply sat too deep and Kane punished them to maintain his excellent record against them.
The mood had changed and now City were struggling to get out of their own half, but they continued to enjoy good fortune as Llorente missed another sitter.
They even survived a penalty shout late on as Danny Rose went down under Ndidi’s challenge inside the area.
In the end though it wasn’t luck that won the game for City, but the superior finishing of Vardy and Mahrez.