Leicester City’s improbable march towards a Premier League titled continued on Monday following a spirited 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Newcastle United. Leicester managed only a single shot on target over the course of the match but the outcome of that shot was a goal fit to win any game. In what will perhaps go a long way towards securing a first-ever EPL title for the Foxes, Shinji Okazaki's overhead goal earned Leicester another three points.
While the magic of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez propelled Leicester to their position at the top of the table, they were never going to be able to replicate that form for 38 consecutive games. What's been thrilling for Leicester supporters, and for those who find themselves cheering for the previously unfancied side, is the way that they've continued to win matches without Vardy's goals or Mahrez's individual brilliance.
With Vardy struggling for chances against a makeshift Newcastle backline and Mahrez unable to influence proceedings, Claudio Ranieri’s squad continued to find a way to get things done through a mixture of hard graft, sheer will and a bit of magic. This game neatly summed up the title credentials of one of the Premier League's most spectacular title challengers of all-time.
25 minutes into the match, Leicester took the one chance they managed to create with real style. Steven Taylor’s mishit defensive header seemed to be making its way across the box towards teammate Jack Colback, only for Vardy to intervene. He out jumped the Newcastle fullback, sending a floating header towards Okazaki. Six yards out and with his back to goal, Okazaki produced an instinctive overhead kick to bury the ball beyond Rob Elliot’s reach.
Cue pandemonium and another registered earthquake inside King Power Stadium.
It was another addition to Leicester’s surreal storybook year. From there, N’golo Kante was absolutely sensational in marshaling Leicester's midfield. Commentators love using the cliche of “covering every blade of grass” for Kante, but what he does is honestly more impressive than that.
He might as well be painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling upon each and every one, such is the spectacular measure of the Frenchman’s skill. For Newcastle, the players seemed inspired by the presence of new manager Rafa Benitez, but it was another disjointed performance for a team with only nine games remaining in which to save their Premier League status.
Newcastle’s struggles were epitomized shortly after Leicester’s goal. Georginio Wijnaldum sent an excellent ball over the top of the Leicester defense with both Aleksander Mitrovic and Moussa Sissoko looking the likely candidates to latch on and score. Instead of finishing the chance, they promptly collided with each other, tumbling to the ground.
That Sissoko-Mitrovic foul up was straight out of the Twilight Zone...
— Gabriele Marcotti (@Marcotti) March 14, 2016
Leicester have opened up a five-point lead over second place Tottenham with 8 games remaining. With 24 points still to play for, Ranieri refuses to believe that his team are now favorites for the title. Meanwhile, Benitez and Newcastle must quickly turn their attentions to the most important Tyne-Wear Derby in recent memory. Newcastle will welcome their fellow relegation rivals Sunderland on Sunday, March 20, in a match with massive implications at the bottom of the table.
5 of Newcastle's 9 remaining matches are against teams who are also in the PL's bottom 6 pic.twitter.com/VjQBJxcF6U
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) March 14, 2016
