After three defeats in a row, Championship leaders Leicester breathed a sigh of relief. The eternal Vardy scored to secure a 1-0 win at Sunderland, who are in free fall. It remains tight at the top of the table
Jamie Vardy turned 37 in January, but he’s still scoring goals pretty well. On Tuesday evening, the 2016 champion and 2020 Premier League top scorer headed Leicester City to a 1-0 win at AFC Sunderland with his eleventh goal of the season, allowing the Foxes to breathe a sigh of relief: after three defeats in a row, the lead of the once undisputed Championship leaders had shrunk to three points.
Vardy, who struck in the 13th minute from a free-kick, had joined the club in England’s second division after relegation in the summer and – as in the previous season one level higher – is now working part-time with the captain’s armband. In 25 games, he was substituted 14 times and eleven times
Ipswich defend second place late on – Farke inspires must-win
While Sunderland lost for the fifth time in a row and, in tenth place with a ten-point deficit, will have to bury their hopes of a play-off place, Leicester just about kept the chasing pack at bay. Ipswich Town, who have come from two points behind, defended second place with a late 3-2 win over Bristol City to secure direct promotion
Ipswich had only claimed second place at the weekend after Leeds United, who had previously won nine games in a row, were held to a 1-1 draw by André Breitenreiter’s Huddersfield Town. On Tuesday, Daniel Farke’s charges quickly got back to winning ways with a 1-0 win against third-bottom Stoke City. James scored from an assist by ex-Hoffenheim player Rutter (33). Ampadu (Leipzig) and Gruev (Bremen) were two more former Bundesliga players in Farke’s starting eleven
“I’m pretty proud,” said the former Gladbach coach, who is aiming for his third Premier League promotion, on the BBC microphone. “For me, this is our best win in 2024 because everyone expected us to win this home game.” Leeds are two points behind Ipswich and five behind Leicester. There are no more direct duels between the top three in the final ten matchdays
