Leicester City were held to a score draw at Hull City on the weekend and now have Leeds United hot on their tails.
Enzo Maresca‘s side came back from behind twice at the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon but failed to secure a much-needed win.
The Foxes, who sit at the summit of the Championship table, now reside just three points ahead of Leeds United and five from third-placed Ipswich Town.
What was once a 12-point gap on second place is now cut to a marginal advantage with nine games of the gruelling 46-game campaign remaining.
Though, notwithstanding that, there were plenty of positives to take from the trip to Hull, namely Jamie Vardy, who netted a brace.
James Justin full of praise for Jamie Vardy
Despite turning 37 in January, Vardy is showing little signs of slowing down and remains one of the best forwards in the division.
The veteran City striker netted a penalty and an expertly-taken penalty-area finish to drag his side back on level terms twice during the four-goal encounter.
Speaking after the game, James Justin said: “You know what you’re going to get (from Vardy). Even at his young age, I feel like he’s still got bags and bags of ability and talent. He’s still got pace as well, so he knows how to score a goal. And that’s why he’s on top.”
Vardy’s two goals moved him onto 13 goals in the league and 15 across all competitions, making him City’s leading goalscorer, five clear of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Stephy Mavididi.
Jamie Vardy important to Leicester City’s promotion bid
Maresca admitted in the lead-up to City’s trip to Hull that Vardy hadn’t trained since the win at Sunderland.
“After the Sunderland game, he hasn’t trained with us. It’s nothing bad but we will see for tomorrow. It’s not an injury, it’s just we need to manage him, because of his age,” The Foxes boss told BBC Radio Leicester on Friday.
With that said, it’s important Leicester continue to manage their top scorer heading into the business end of the season.
Vardy will be massively important in City’s promotion bid, as they haven’t a striker nearly as deadly in front of goal as he.
Leicester make the trip to the capital this Sunday to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Perhaps Maresca will opt to rest his talisman before the international break.