JAMIE VARDY SCORED for the seventh Premier League game in a row as Leicester City made it seven successive victories with a controversial 2-0 win at home to Watford.
The Foxes striker was shown a yellow card towards the latter stages of the first-half when he was adjudged to have taken a dive in the box, despite there appearing to be contact by Watford’s Adrian Mariappa.
Leicester put that decision behind them 10 minutes after the re-start when Vardy converted calmly from the spot after Jonny Evans clutched his face in the box.
On both occasions a VAR review backed referee Craig Pawson’s initial call and James Maddison sealed the points deep into stoppage time to move Leicester back above Manchester City into second place.
As well as the milestone for Vardy, this was also Leicester’s seventh Premier League win on the trot – a run of victories they couldn’t even manage when they won the title during the 2015/16 campaign.
The 2-0 loss leaves Watford, who are without a manager having sacked Quique Sanchez Flores at the weekend, seven points adrift of safety after Southampton moved out of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at home to Norwich City.
The Saints went ahead in the 22nd minute when Danny Ings produced a glancing header from James Ward-Prowse’s fine in-swinging free-kick.
Southampton doubled their lead with a close-range finish from Ryan Bertrand after Shane Long’s headed flick-on.
Norwich’s Teemu Pukki pulled one back from Alexander Tettey’s pass but it was not enough as the hosts held on.
Elsewhere, at Stamford Bridge, Tammy Abraham claimed a goal and an assist against former club Aston Villa as Chelsea responded to back-to-back defeats by deservedly beating Aston Villa 2-1 on John Terry’s return to west London.
Abraham, who scored 26 times on loan to help Villa to promotion last season, returned from a hip injury on Wednesday and claimed his 11th Premier League goal of a brilliant breakthrough campaign to put Chelsea ahead after 24 minutes.
Trezeguet rounded off a fine move in somewhat comedic fashion to pull Villa level before the break, but a wonderful Mason Mount volley – from Abraham’s chested lay-off – restored the home side’s lead early in the second half.
Frank Lampard’s charges remain in the Champions League places, six points clear of Wolves who jumped to fifth courtesy of a home triumph over West Ham.
Goals either side of half time from Leander Dendoncker and Patrick Cutrone was enough for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men at Molineux.
