Jamie Vardy came off the bench to seal Leicester’s late 1-0 win as spluttering Arsenal crashed to a third defeat in their last four Premier League games on Sunday.
Vardy was only fit enough for the bench after a calf injury, but Brendan Rodgers sent the Leicester striker on with 30 minutes left and he responded with his sixth goal of the season.
The 33-year-old has made a habit of tormenting Arsenal and has now scored 11 goals in 12 Premier League games against them.
Leicester climbed up to fourth place after ending a run of two successive league defeats.
Arsenal are languishing in 10th after a second consecutive league loss following their 1-0 defeat at Manchester City last weekend.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will have been disappointed by his team’s lack of cutting edge.
The principle problem is a sudden dip in form for captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Gabon forward is without a goal in his last five league games, although he did net 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 him a lucrative new contract in September.
Arsenal’s ability to challenge for a top four place rests on Aubameyang leading the charge and so far this term he has been a flop.
– Luiz blow –
Arteta handed a home debut to Thomas Partey as he recalled a host of first-team regulars following the victory in Vienna.
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno had played in Vienna and was at fault for the goal his side conceded.
(AFP)
