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LONDON: Watford’s Nathan Ake heads the ball while Leicester’s Wes Morgan, right, competes during the English soccer match between Watford and Leicester City at the stadium in London, yesterday. —AP Mahrez magic keeps Leicester flying high

and Arsenal earlier yesterday. Victory took however, when Nathan Ake rose above Wes , but his shot deflected through But the deadlock was broken on 56 min- ’s men five points clear of Morgan in the 11th minute to meet a right- to a grateful Schmeichel. utes in spectacular style. Fuchs’ cross from Watford 0 second placed Tottenham and eight ahead wing free-kick and his header skimmed the After a scrappy spell in the run-up to the left was half-cleared by the head of Jose of Arsenal in third with only nine games top of ’s crossbar. half-time, Danny Simpson swung in a cross Holebas, but Mahrez picked up possession standing between the Foxes and a truly Leicester were pressing relentlessly and from the Leicester right after the Foxes kept just inside the area and lashed a wonderful incredible title success. they forced another error that led to a alive a poor corner but captain Wes Morgan effort into the top corner. Mahrez also has 11 assists this season to chance for Vardy. The England forward headed straight at Gomes. Gomes then made an important save Leicester 1 go with his impressive tally of goals and his latched onto another ball over the top by Schmeichel had to race out of the area to from a Robert Huth header and Ake cleared latest moment of inspiration kept Leicester Albrighton but fired wide of the far post head away from the onrushing Deeney in crucially from inside his own goalmouth as firmly in pole position. from a difficult angle. the final minute of the half following an Leicester tried to press home their advan- Leicester signalled their intentions early Ranieri thought his side were ahead in under-hit header by Morgan. tage. Mahrez carved out another chance for WATFORD: Leicester took a five-point lead on when a direct, forward pass by Marc the 23rd minute when Vardy stole posses- Ranieri made a double change at half- himself with some fine footwork on the at the top of the Premier League as a won- Albrighton sent racing through sion and fed Mahrez before bursting to the time with Jeff Schlupp and Andy King intro- edge of the box, but his curling shot went derful strike by sealed a 1-0 at on goal and forced Watford keeper near post to meet the midfielder’s cross. duced in a reshaped system. through to Gomes. Watford yesterday that boosted their hopes into a vital interception. But the normally lethal striker fired But it was the home side who threatened The Foxes should have been punished of a fairytale title triumph. The visitors forced a corner soon after- wastefully into the side netting when he first when Mario Suarez found himself on for some hesitant defending with 10 min- Algeria winger Mahrez blasted an wards and looked dangerous when Watford should have broken the deadlock. the edge of the box but his shot flew utes to go when the ball bounced around unstoppable shot into the top corner in the failed to clear it properly. The ball fell to straight at Gomes. their box and fell for Ighalo, but the striker 56th minute for his 15th goal of a brilliant Christian Fuchs just outside the penalty and RESHAPED then found the ball at headed straight at Schmeichel. And season. That clinched a 17th win of the cam- the defender saw his low shot beaten away Watford should then have broken the his feet 20 yards from the Watford goal after Hornets substitute Almen Abdi lashed a paign for the Foxes, who took full advan- by Gomes. deadlock three minutes later when Odion a smart Leicester passing move but he fired shot a fraction wide as Leicester became tage of a 2-2 draw for title rivals Tottenham There was a scare for the home side, Ighalo’s cross from the right found captain wide. nervous. —AFP Aguero double fires Tottenham, Arsenal share slick City to victory the spoils in crunch derby Aaron Ramsey beat Hugo Lloris with a the second tier next season for the deft flick from Bellerin’s ball into the area. first time since 1988. Pellegrini Tottenham 2 When Coquelin was sent off after a foul Man City 4 switched from 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2 on Kane in the 55th minute, Tottenham line-up in an attempt to put early sensed their chance and were denied an pressure on Villa, with Wilfried Bony equaliser when Kane’s close-range effort making his first start since Boxing was kept out by David Ospina-television Day as he joined Aguero up front. Arsenal 2 Aston Villa 0 replays showing the ball just failed to Pellegrini’s side, though, lacked cross the line. urgency against visitors who The hosts did not have to wait much defended deeply, often pulling all LONDON: Alexis Sanchez earned Arsenal longer to draw level though. A corner MANCHESTER: Sergio Aguero 11 players back into their own third a point in a pulsating North London derby found its way to central defender Toby of the field. scored twice as Manchester City at White Hart Lane after Tottenham Alderweireld at the far post and he lashed Both of City’s strikers had ended a run of three successive Hotspur had looked set to join Leicester in from close range. chances in the opening quarter-of- Premier League defeats with a 4-0 City at the top of the Premier League Kane then took his goal tally for the an-hour, with Aguero showing a MANCHESTER: Aston Villa’s Scottish defender Alan Hutton (L) vies demolition of bottom club Aston table yesterday. season to 20 with an effort worthy of win- sublime first touch to control with Manchester City’s English midfielder Raheem Sterling during Villa at Eastlands yesterday. Tottenham had come from behind to ning any game. Picking up the ball near Fernandinho’s angled chip, before the English Premier League football match between Manchester Manuel Pellegrini’s side made turn the game on its head early in the sec- the corner flag he advanced towards the heavy weather of the opening 45 cutting inside Aly Cissokho and lift- City and Aston Villa yesterday. — AFP ond half and when ’s majestic area before curling a sublime shot past minutes, but struck twice early in ing a shot goalwards from close created an opening. City’s frustrat- national’s through pass undid Villa’s strike put them ahead after 61 minutes it the second half to maintain their range, with keeper Brad Guzan Ospina. ing first half was summed up when defence, with Richards slicing his seemed Tottenham would top the table place in the top four and keep alive nudging it over the bar. Kane was inches wide with another Bony found space to meet David attempted clearance off the shins of their slender hopes of winning the Bony had a clear opening as he from Leicester City for a few hours at least. chance as Tottenham went for a third but Silva’s corner, and planted his head- the chasing Aguero and into the net. title. Yaya Toure side-footed in the raced between defenders towards In the end, the 2-2 draw was just about the hosts were stunned when Bellerin er around 10 yards wide. If that goal had an element of for- opener before Aguero added a sec- Gael Clichy’s low cross, but could a fair result as Arsenal showed plenty of expertly picked out the otherwise anony- The second half proved more sat- tune about it, the Argentina interna- ond as an attempted clearance by not quite stretch enough and saw fight after playing most of the second half mous Sanchez who beat Lloris with clini- isfying for the home side, who were tional followed it up with a beautiful- former City defender Micah Richards the ball skim wide off his boot. with 10 men after Francis Coquelin was cal precision to end a run of 11 league in front less than three minutes after ly-constructed third, chesting down rebounded in off him. Guzan was sharp to push aside a dismissed for a second booking. games without a goal. the restart. Aguero darted to the Silva’s chipped return pass and Aguero made it three with a sub- snapshot from Aguero, who then Tottenham, bidding for a first title since The biggest North London derby in byline and cut a pass back to Silva, drilling a shot past Guzan. At that lime finish, but then hit the post drove across goal and wide after col- 1961, remained in second place on 55 who played the ball square for Toure point, with the game won, Pellegrini years could have gone either way in a with a penalty after Raheem Sterling lecting Bony’s angled return pass. points, three ahead of Arsenal. Leicester, to stroke it into the corner of the brought off Bony and sent on nervy finale. Arsenal defender Gabriel tapped in a fourth. Villa, though, were not without net. Sterling, who was seeking to atone who play later at Watford, have 57. almost sliced a cross into his own net and Villa are now nine points from threat, and Joe Hart had to get Arsenal, reeling after two consecutive then in stoppage time Ramsey looked set down quickly to turn Jordan Ayew’s A second goal quickly arrived, for a poor performance against his safety after a fourth successive league defeats, went in front against the to fire a dramatic winner before a goal-sav- 20-yard shot around his near post with the struggling Bony able to former club Liverpool on defeat and appear certain to play in run of play shortly before halftime when ing tackle by Kevin Wimmer. — Reuters after Ciaran Clark’s persistence had claim an assist. The Ivory Coast inter- Wednesday. — AFP