Jamie Vardy scored twice as Leicester beat Watford in a hugely entertaining match to ruin Claudio Ranieri’s return to the King Power Stadium.
Ranieri was in the opponents’ dugout for the first time since guiding the Foxes to the 2015-16 Premier League title and received a great reception from the home fans.
But in a chaotic and thrilling game played in blizzard conditions, his current side played a big part in their own downfall.
There looked to be no danger when Jonny Evans launched a free-kick forward, but William Ekong ducked under the ball and that allowed James Maddison to fire the 16th-minute opener past Daniel Bachmann.
Watford were gifted a chance to equalise in the 30th minute when Wilfred Ndidi clumsily chopped down Emmanuel Dennis and Joshua King fired his penalty into the top corner.
But the hosts retook the lead four minutes later with an unmarked Vardy glancing a header in from Maddison’s corner. The pair combined again just before half-time with Vardy lifting a fine finish for his second and Leicester’s third goal.
Dennis then dispossessed Timothy Castagne and calmly finished to make it 3-2 in the 61st minute, but the hosts quickly restored their two-goal advantage when Harvey Barnes set up Ademola Lookman for a close-range tap-in.
The victory takes Leicester up from 13th into ninth, while Watford remain 16th, four points above the relegation zone.
More to follow.
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Leicester City
Starting XI
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Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
Average rating6.44
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Squad number27Player nameCastagne
Average rating6.73
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Squad number6Player nameEvans
Average rating6.97
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Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
Average rating6.72
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Squad number33Player nameThomas
Average rating6.75
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Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Average rating6.54
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Squad number25Player nameNdidi
Average rating6.84
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Squad number37Player nameLookman
Average rating7.09
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Squad number10Player nameMaddison
Average rating7.97
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Squad number7Player nameBarnes
Average rating7.38
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
Average rating8.14
Substitutes
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Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton
Average rating7.22
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Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
Average rating7.23
Watford
Starting XI
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Squad number26Player nameBachmannAverage rating4.50
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Squad number21Player nameKiko FemeníaAverage rating5.44
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Squad number15Player nameCathcartAverage rating5.53
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Squad number5Player nameTroost-EkongAverage rating
5.04
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Squad number11Player nameMasinaAverage rating5.40
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Squad number6Player nameLouzaAverage rating
5.74
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Squad number29Player nameCucho HernándezAverage rating
5.78
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Squad number8Player nameCleverleyAverage rating5.98
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Squad number19Player nameSissokoAverage rating
6.32
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Squad number7Player nameKingAverage rating
7.00
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Squad number25Player nameDennisAverage rating
7.17
Substitutes
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Squad number10Player nameJoão PedroAverage rating
6.16
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Squad number17Player nameFletcherAverage rating
5.87
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Squad number18Player nameTufanAverage rating
5.56
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 27Castagne
- 6Evans
- 4Söyüncü
- 33Thomas
- 42Soumaré
- 25Ndidi
- 37LookmanSubstituted forAlbrightonat 75′minutes
- 10MaddisonSubstituted forDewsbury-Hallat 88′minutes
- 7Barnes
- 9Vardy
Substitutes
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 14Iheanacho
- 17Pérez
- 18Amartey
- 20Choudhury
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 23Vestergaard
- 29Daka
Watford
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 26Bachmann
- 21Femenía
- 15Cathcart
- 5Troost-Ekong
- 11Masina
- 6LouzaSubstituted forJoão Pedroat 45′minutes
- 29Hernández
- 8CleverleySubstituted forTufanat 45′minutes
- 19Sissoko
- 7King
- 25DennisSubstituted forFletcherat 71′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ngakia
- 3Rose
- 10João Pedro
- 16Gosling
- 17Fletcher
- 18Tufan
- 27Kabasele
- 35Elliot
- 42Morris
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Leicester City 4, Watford 2.
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Second Half ends, Leicester City 4, Watford 2.
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Hand ball by Ashley Fletcher (Watford).
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Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Joshua King (Watford).
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Corner, Watford. Conceded by Luke Thomas.
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Corner, Watford. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Daniel Bachmann.
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Attempt saved. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Çaglar Söyüncü.
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Substitution, Leicester City. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall replaces James Maddison.
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Attempt blocked. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Adam Masina.
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Attempt missed. Ozan Tufan (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Kiko Femenía with a cross.
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Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ozan Tufan (Watford).
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Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Adam Masina (Watford).
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Offside, Leicester City. Timothy Castagne tries a through ball, but Jamie Vardy is caught offside.
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Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Adam Masina (Watford).
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