Jamie Vardy’s first half strike and Anthony Gerrard’s own goal were enough for Leicester City to sink Huddersfield Town 2-1 on Saturday, securing their fifth straight home league victory.
The win ensures they remain in 3rd place in the SkyBet Championship following the international break.
Huddersfield have now failed to win in the last 6, have won just 1 in 8 and haven’t won in the league at Leicester since the 1950’s.
Paul Konchesky’s own goal brought the visitors back into it shortly before Terriers’ striker James Vaughan was sent off for violent conduct, to deny Mark Robin’s side a second half comeback.
Nigel Pearson had made just one change to his starting eleven for this encounter from their 1-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers before the international break. The injured Ritchie De Laet making way for Polish centre-half Marcin Wasilewski.
Huddersfield manager Robins made 3 changes to his side as they lined up in a 3-4-3 formation.
The Terriers won at the King Power Stadium last season 2-1 in an FA Cup replay. However they were thumped 6-1 on New Year’s Day in their last league visit. They would be hoping to avoid such a defeat this afternoon.
Vardy opened the scoring against the run of play on 10 minutes with a thunderous effort from just inside the 18 yard box, which passed Terriers keeper’ Alex Smithies for his third goal of the campaign.
The visitors enjoyed the majority of possession following the goal and a shot from Vaughan could have got have got them back into it if it wasn’t for Schmeichel in the Leicester net, who had earned his second international cap for Denmark on Tuesday.
Another chance came their way on the thirty-five minute mark. This time Danny Ward’s initial effort once again had Schmeichel on his toes and when the ball parried to the edge of the box, Hogg then picked the ball up and found Ward onside, who then tried to cheekily dink the ball over the big Dane.
The Terriers would rue their missed opportunities just 2 minutes later when Knockaert’s corner was headed into his own net by Anthony Gerrard, leaving the Foxes with a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead.
Sean Scannell pulled one back for Huddersfield in the second half, catalysing a shaky last 20 minutes for the home side who were on the back foot. Beating Wes Morgan, he stabbed the ball past Schmeichel to make it 2-1. The goal later going down as a Paul Konchesky own goal on his 100th Leicester City appearance.
Just when Huddersfield began to grow in confidence, Vaughan was given his marching orders after the striker reacted to a challenge from Polish centre-half; Wasilewski. Pushing him to the ground referee James Adcock had no choice but to show him red. Mark Robin’s felt aggrieved that Wasilewski didn’t receive the same punishment as he believed an elbow was thrown by the Leicester man.
Despite the dismissal the Terriers briefly continued to threaten and could have easily made it 2-2 on 84 minutes. Substitute Duane Holmes denied by another world class save from Schmeichel who had well and truly made up for his mistake at Doncaster two weeks ago.
The win marked Leicester’s 8th win of the season moving them on to 26 points, 2 points behind 2nd placed Queens Park Rangers and 3 behind league leaders Burnley.
For Huddersfield their sorry run of results continues and they lie on fourteen points down in 13th place. They face Leeds United in a local derby next weekend.
Speaking after the game Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson said: “I back my players to go out and outplay our opponents and I think we did that today.
“I am really pleased with how they went about the game; I thought they were very very good.
Speaking about Kasper Schmeichel he said: “I wouldn’t expect anything less from him than bouncing back in the fashion that he has done.”
Leicester City: Schmeichel; Konchesky; Drinkwater; Morgan; Vardy; King (Hammond 71’); Dyer (Schlupp 88’); Moore; Knockaert (James 70’); Wasilewski; Nugent. Unused subs: Taylor-Fletcher; Miquel; Logan; Wood.
Huddersfield Town: Smithies; Woods; Dixon (Holmes 61’); Clarke; Hogg; Vaughan; Gobern (Clayton 68’); Ward; Hammill (Scannell 61’); Lynch; Gerrard. Unused subs: Norwood; Bennett; Stead; Paterson.
Attendance: 22, 297 (913 away)
