Remembering the game that sparked Leicester City’s incredible Premier League survival 10 years on

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The 2010s was a golden era for Leicester City.

With Nigel Pearson at the helm, the Foxes achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2013/14, winning the Championship with 102 points, the third-highest total in second-tier history.

That set the foundation for Leicester’s incredible title-winning campaign of 2015/16 under Claudio Ranieri, the club defying all odds to claim their first top-flight crown.

Yet that incredible achievement would not have been possible without a remarkable escape from relegation in 2014/15.

And there was one specific game that merits reflection 10 years on.

Leicester’s last-gasp 2-1 win against West Ham remembered

Coming into the game against West Ham on 4^th April 2015 at the King Power Stadium, Leicester found themselves bottom of the Premier League table.

Without a win in eight, the Foxes were seven points adrift of Sunderland in 17^th having picked up 19 points from 29 games across the season.

It really was last-chance saloon territory, then, Leicester needing to beat the Hammers to have any chance of survival.

And beat them they did.

Former Champions League winner Esteban Cambiassio put Pearson’s side 1-0 up with a lovely left-footed strike from outside the 18-yard-box. In Cambiasso’s only season for Leicester, the Argentine became a fans’ favourite with his vital contribution.

However, after David Nugent missed a penalty, West Ham midfielder Chiekhou Kouyate equalised, leaving the game level going into the final five minutes.

Queue Leicester City legend Andy King. The man who came through Leicester’s academy and featured for them in League One, the Championship and the Premier League popped up with a late winner to send Foxes fans delirious.

It moved Leicester four points from safety, sparking hope that survival just might be possible.

Leicester City’s last eight Premier League results in 2014/15

The win against West Ham was followed up by another late show against West Brom, Robert Huth and Jamie Vardy scoring in the last 10 minutes at the Hawthorns to win the game 3-2.

Consecutive wins against Swansea and Burnley came next as Leicester finally moved out of the bottom three.

Following a defeat to that season’s champions Chelsea, Leicester were back on the winning trail with victories against Newcastle and high-flying Southampton.

The club then secured survival in their penultimate game, a 0-0 draw at Sunderland ensuring they moved beyond the reach of Hull, Burnley and QPR in the bottom three.

A final day 5-1 hammering of QPR made it seven wins from their final nine games as Leicester ultimately finished 14^th.

Considering they had only won four games in their first 29, it was an incredible turnaround.

It also ensured Leicester became only the third side ever to be bottom of the Premier League at Christmas yet still survive.

Up there as one of the greatest top flight escapes, the 2014/15 campaign will live long in the memory of Foxes fans.