Tottenham 0 - Leicester 1: Robert Huth bags late winner as Foxes maintain title push

ROBERT HUTH grabbed a dramatic late winner as Leicester maintained the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

 

Claudio Ranieri's men were looking to top the table by the end of the night

 

The centre-back rose unmarked in the box to head home Christian Fuchs’ corner as the game appeared to be heading to a stalemate.

Harry Kane came within a whisker of scoring for Spurs when his one-on-one effort clipped the crossbar.

Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela were both denied by the inspired Kasper Schmeichel, while Dele Alli saw a late effort blocked before Huth’s winner.

Between them 16 changes were made from their 2-2 tie in the FA Cup third round here at White Hart Lane just three days previous.

Displaying just how deep Leicester’s squad strength runs, manager Claudio Ranieri had nine fresh faces from the side that came within a minute of beating their hosts on Sunday.

 

Jamie Vardy, back from a groin operation, started up front with Sunday’s hero Shinji Okazaki starting alongside the Foxes talisman.

Alli, who penned a new contract at Spurs yesterday, and Lamela were thrown back into first-team action by Mauricio Pochettino alongside Eriksen in midfield.

It was Alli who produced the first spark for Spurs on a chilly night in north London when he sprung on a cross-field ball from Eriksen and drove narrowly wide of Kasper Schmeichel’s left-hand post.

Schmeichel was called upon 10 minutes in to tip Alderweireld’s bouncing header over the crossbar.

On the half-hour mark the Dane was again required to deal with a rasping shot from compatriot Eriksen as Spurs sought the opener.

Not that Leicester were short of chances themselves. Okazaki and N’Golo Kante both blazed wide in a 10-minute burst when waves of blue shirts caught Spurs persistently off guard, while only an arching Lloris save prevented Danny Drinkwater from a spectacular volleyed finish.

 

Plenty had been made before kick off of Vardy, back after sitting out Saturday’s draw and who could likely challenge Harry Kane for an England starting role at Euro 2016 this summer.

And it was Kane who prevented the Premier League’s story of the season from scoring moments into the second half when he dived in front of the 29-year-old’s shot from a corner to deflect the ball wide.

Kane himself was unlucky not to net just after the hour when he latched on to a Lamela through ball and drilled under Schmeichel, only for the ball to hit the keeper and zip up off the turf onto the crossbar.

Vardy withdrew for Leonardo Ulloa 20 minutes from the end - Ranieri evidently saving him for more Aston Villa this weekend - while Eriksen was replaced by Mousa Dembele as both sides refreshed their attacking options.

Leicester had a multitude of chances to break Lloris’ goal five minutes after the replacements as first Riyad Mahrez then Drinkwater and then Ulloa all saw shots in the box blocked by resolute white shirts.

At the other end Alli almost proved the hero when he charged forward, only for Schmeichel to match his drive, and in Leicester’s next foray forward they scored.

Huth was afforded time and space in the box to backpedal and head in Fuchs’ outshining corner - the Spurs defence rooted to their positions.