Leicester thrashed Derby County at the King Power Stadium this evening to move 7 points clear at the top of the Championship table. It was an irresistible performance from the Foxes, who managed a staggering 25 attempts at goal, 8 of which were on target. Without doubt, it was Leicester's most complete performance of the season to date and sends out an emphatic message to the rest of the league - catching Leicester City this season is going to be no mean feat. The link-up play between Nugent and Vardy was superb and Derby were simply unable to cope with the speed, frequency and quality of Leicester's attacking play. Perhaps the only surprise of the evening was that Leicester only found the net on 4 occasions.
James should have given the Foxes the lead in the 12th minute, missing an open goal from 12 yards after excellent work down the left flank. Dyer hit a fierce shot and the goalkeeper's save fell into the path of James, who was unable to finish. Nugent forced another save from the Derby keeper mid-way through the first half, firing a good left footed shot towards the bottom corner. City's relentless pressure told in the 25th minute. De Leat received the ball on the half way line, dribbled towards the goal and played a neat one-two with Nugent. He received the ball back on the edge of the box and fired a clinical shot into the bottom corner with his left foot. It was a fabulous individual goal.
In the 34th minute, Vardy's shot from an acute angle rattled the crossbar after brilliant play from Leicester's front two. Nugent flicked on a clearance, Vardy back heeled into Nugent's path and Nugent forced a save from the keeper. The rebound fell into Vardy's path but it was an almost impossible angle. Just two minutes later, Leicester hit the bar again. This time, Moore's thundering header from a corner rattled the upright. City's second goal eventually arrived two minutes into the second half. Vardy twisted in the box to turn Schmeichel's clearance towards the penalty spot and David Nugent was there to knock the ball in with the help of a fortunate ricochet - it was no more than the Foxes deserved.
Derby were briefly back in the game before the hour mark, a corner from the right flicked off De Laet and found its way into the net. However, within 20 seconds of the restart, the superb Vardy had won City a penalty, running around the outside of the defender and being brought down in the box. Nugent's penalty was emphatic - side footed to the goalkeeper's left. A few minutes later, Leicester put the icing on the cake with Jamie Vardy's goal to make the score 4-1. In my view, Vardy was man of the match and it was by far his best performance in a City shirt. Nugent won the ball in the middle of the park and played a super ball into Vardy, who took one touch and hammered the ball past the goalkeeper with his right foot.
It was an incredible, relentless performance from City and one that underlines their promotion credentials. Surely, this is their year...
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