Mueez Ajao
– Jamie Vardy scored twice as Leicester beat Watford in a hugely entertaining match to ruin Claudio Ranieri’s return to the King Power Stadium.
– Ranieri was in the opponents’ dugout for the first time since guiding the Foxes to the 2015-16 Premier League title and received a great reception from the home fans.
– But in a chaotic and thrilling game played in blizzard conditions, his current side played a big part in their own downfall.
Also Read: Vardy makes history: Scores own goal, cancels it with 2 against Burnley
– There looked to be no danger when Jonny Evans launched a free-kick forward, but William Ekong ducked under the ball and that allowed James Maddison to fire the 16th-minute opener past Daniel Bachmann.
– Watford were gifted a chance to equalise in the 30th minute when Wilfred Ndidi clumsily chopped down Emmanuel Dennis and Joshua King fired his penalty into the top corner.
– But the hosts retook the lead four minutes later with an unmarked Vardy glancing a header in from Maddison’s corner. The pair combined again just before half-time with Vardy lifting a fine finish for his second and Leicester’s third goal.
– Dennis then dispossessed Timothy Castagne and calmly finished to make it 3-2 in the 61st minute, but the hosts quickly restored their two-goal advantage when Harvey Barnes set up Ademola Lookman for a close-range tap-in.
– The victory takes Leicester up from 13th into ninth, while Watford remain 16th, four points above the relegation zone.
