Crystal Palace 0-2 Leicester: Caglar Soyuncu and Jamie Vardy strike as Foxes move up to third - Report Minds Crystal Palace 0-2 Leicester: Caglar Soyuncu and Jamie Vardy strike as Foxes move up to third | Report Minds

Crystal Palace 0-2 Leicester: Caglar Soyuncu and Jamie Vardy strike as Foxes move up to third

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Just the two goals this time, Caglar Soynucu’s first for the club before Jamie Vardy’s late goal taking Brendan Rodgers’ impressive team up to third.

Jamie Vardy celebrates after socring Leicester's second goal against Crystal Palace
Jamie Vardy celebrates after socring Leicester's second goal against Crystal Palace
Vardy finished off a fine team move to seal the three points at Selhurst Park on Sunday
Vardy finished off a fine team move to seal the three points at Selhurst Park on Sunday
The English striker wheels away in celebration after finding the net in the closing stages
The English striker wheels away in celebration after finding the net in the closing stages
Vardy is congrtualted by his team-mates after netting his ninth goal of the season
Vardy is congrtualted by his team-mates after netting his ninth goal of the season


Another convincing win here at Selhurst Park was never really on the cards, Roy Hodgson teams don’t generally roll over.

Not that it stopped Leicester from trying, Harvey Barnes testing Vicente Guaita with a well struck effort from just outside the box following Youri Tielemans incisive pass.

The Foxes continued to pressurise, Palace - unlike Southampton - continued to resist.

Following that cake walk at St Mary’s, this was an altogether different test for Rodgers’ side - one that would provide a far truer assessment of their top four credentials.

It wasn’t that they weren’t playing well because they were - though obviously not with the same gusto of 10 days prior.

But Palace were resolute and organised. Rodgers has faed Hodgson teams often enough to know what to expect.

Breaking down such defiance is an altogether tougher prospect, however.

In the 18th minute, Leicester did breach a Palace defence marshalled by Gary Cahill - James Maddison’s audacious outside the boot pass finding Jamie Vardy - but Guaita thwarted the away team once more.

Jonny Evans was next to threaten, his towering header above James McArthur from a corner rippling the roof of the net.

Palace had their moments in Leicester’s half and with Wilfried Zaha in your ranks, you’ve always got a chance.

But those instances were few and far between, though Kasper Schmeichel was forced to tip over Jeffrey Schlupp’s deflected volley that appeared to looping just under the bar in the 40th minute.

Yet you’d imagine Palace’s lethargy in attack wouldn’t have concerned Hodgson to greatly at this stage.

Indeed, Palace’s gameplan almost paid off to perfection at the start of the second half but Ayew completely missed his kick from six yards out after Cheikhou Kouyate’s low cross appeared to put the opener on a plate.

The miss proved costly - and it wasn’t like Palace weren't warned. Guaita had just produced a brilliant intuitive stop to deny Evans’ bullet header from Maddison’s dangerous out swinging corner in the 56th minute.

So there was little sympathy for Palace when from the resultant corner taken by Maddison that Leicester took the lead.

It wasn’t Evans this time, but his central defensive partner Caglar Soyuncu, who was allowed to ghost in towards the six yard box unmarked before planting his header past Guaita.

Leicester, of course, deserved their advantage. But their circumstances would have left Hodgson tearing his hair out.

Maddison was having another excellent game dictating as chief controller of inside Leicester’s attacking hub.

All in front of England No 2 Steve Holland, too, who will report his findings to Gareth Southgate today.

In normal circumstances, Maddison inclusion in Thursday’s squad would be a no-brainer - but his jaunt to a casino just 24 hours after withdrawing from the previous party has played some doubt over his selection.

On this evidence, he is certainly worth the gamble.

Palace tried to muster a response - but a long range effort from Joel Ward that was easily claimed by Schmeichel was the best the host’s had to offer.

Once they got their noses in front Leicester never looked like losing this, their game management exemplary.

By the end they were toying with Palace, striker Vardy slotting home in the final minute to silence home fans intent on ribbing the forward about his wife’s recent social media drama with Wayne Rooney’s wife Coleen.

Vardy sarcastically mocked the supporters goading him, impersonating an Eagle as he celebrated.

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