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| Jamie Vardy scores for 10th Premier League game |
JAMIE VARDY equalled Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in ten successive Premier League games, but became the first to pull off the feat in the same season.
Leicester striker Vardy, who passed a fitness test on a hip injury after missing England's friendlies with Spain and France, finished in typically clinical fashion in first-half stoppage time.
Coincidentally, it was here that Dutch master van Nistelrooy set the record with Manchester United in a 2-1 victory in August 2003.
It is rarely a happy hunting ground for the high-flying Foxes this was only their second win on Tyneside in 17 league visits, having lost 14 of them.
But Leonardo Ulloa doubled their lead on 61 minutes and substitute Shinji Okazaki rounded off the victory seven minutes from the end.
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| Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring the opener against Newcastle |
A rousing pre-match rendition of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, in memory of the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks nine days ago, had particular significance for Moussa Sissoko.
The Newcastle midfielder was on the substitutes' bench as France beat Germany 2-0 in a game completely overshadowed by the blasts near the Stade de France.
Sissoko, one of seven Frenchmen currently in the Toon ranks, saw a seventh-minute effort smothered by Foxes skipper Wes Morgan.
But Vardy had threatened moments earlier when striker Alexsandar Mitrovic was back defending to block a close-range shot.
Vardy looked poised to strike four minutes before the break when Riyad Mahrez found him on the left, but keeper Rob Elliot was equal to the finish.
There was no denying Vardy, however, soon afterwards as he took a return from Ulloa, cut inside Sissoko and beat Elliot at his near post to bag his 13th league goal this season.
Vardy continued to be a menace after the interval and hit the bar on the hour with a venomous shot after being fed by Mahrez.
But it was Ulloa who extended Leicester's lead with a free header from six yards after Mahrez lifted the ball in from the right.
Danny Drinkwater came to the visitors' rescue with a goal-line clearance from Georginio Wijnaldum.
But Okazaki forced in a third on the line after former Newcastle right-back Danny Simpson's shot had spun up off Elliot.
Vardy will now bid to go one better than Van Nistelrooy when Leicester host Man United on Saturday.
Van Nistelrooy wished Vardy good luck in a tweet before the game and the Leicester man said: "People kept screen-shotting it and sending it to me.
"Fair play to him, he didn't have to do it. I managed to get there and we'll see what happens next weekend.
"The physios have done brilliantly and they've got me through the game. I was taken off towards the end just as a precaution."
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri said: "I'm very happy for Jamie. It's not easy to equal a big champion like van Nistelrooy.
"It's a great achievement and I hope he can beat it in the next match. It was fantastic that the Newcastle fans applauded Jamie. But I want to say also that my players were fantastic."
Newcastle boss Steve McClaren admitted: "It's very disappointing, I think that was our worst performance this season.
"In the last five out six games we've seen progression, but we're going to get setbacks before we get consistency.
"I thought the opponents were excellent and I congratulate Jamie. But it wasn't just Jamie Vardy, Leicester are a well-drilled unit and you don't get to the top of the league unless you have that."
NEWCASTLE: Elliot 6; Janmaat 5, Mbemba 6, Coloccini 6, Dummett 5; Anita 5, Tiote 5 (Thauvin (20th) 5); Sissoko 6, Perez 6 (de Jong 81st), Wijnaldum 5; Mitrovic 5 (Cisse (62nd) 5).
LEICESTER: Schmeichel 7; Simpson 6, Morgan 7, Huth 6, Fuchs 6; Kante 6; Mahrez 7 (Dyer 89th), Drinkwater 6, Albrighton 6; Ulloa 7 (Okazaki 72nd) 6), Vardy 8 (King 77th).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Jamie Vardy - There is just no stopping the Leicester striker, who strengthens his England claims as each week passes.
Ref: M Jones
Att: 50,151
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