Leicester’s survival bid was given a huge boost following their 2-1 win away at Tottenham Hotspur.
Sat in the Premier League drop zone prior to kick-off, Leicester’s victory in North London now means they leapfrog relegation rivals Wolves into 17th place.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side have struggled in recent weeks, but a number of Leicester players provided big performances against Spurs – particularly those of Jamie Vardy and Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Vardy highlighted the importance of the Tottenham victory post-match claiming it was a ‘big win’ in Leicester’s season – something that has been echoed by Premier League pundit Darren Bent.
Darren Bent claims Leicester were ‘outstanding’ in Spurs win
Bent was quick to sing the praises of the Foxes, but he also claimed Van Nistelrooy will be wondering why his side hasn’t been able to produce performances like that more regularly.
“They had to ride their luck today but once they got themselves in front they never really looked in danger. They defended really well. If you’re Ruud van Nistelrooy you’re probably thinking where has this been?
“I thought Leicester were outstanding, they took their chances. A fantastic result and a fantastic performance that gives them something to hold on to,” via Premier League Match Centre.
With Everton away next on the agenda – the Leicester boss will no doubt be hoping for a similar display at Goodison Park.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester tactics are starting to pay off
Having headed into the game with a run of seven straight defeats – Leicester’s win in the capital could be the turning point for their season.
Despite their poor recent form, some have argued Leicester’s performances have gradually got better under Van Nistelrooy – and they could now be reaping the rewards from those improvements.
The Foxes were clinical at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium racking up a higher xG than their hosts, despite having half the amount of shots on target.
| Tottenham | Possession | |
| Possesion | 60% | 40% |
| xG | 1.10 | 1.50 |
| Shots on target | 6 | 3 |
| Big chances | 2 | 1 |
| Duels won | 50 | 54 |
| Tackles won | 4 | 15 |
Leicester were also far more aggressive than in previous games, which helped stop and frustrate Tottenham’s attack – something which is shown by their defensive numbers.
If the Foxes can replicate performances like that on a more regular basis, their chances of staying up will go up tenfold.