Leicester keeps pressure on Liverpool

The Fox hunt hasn’t been disbanded just yet.

Leicester City have handed Aston Villa their biggest defeat of the season as they sounded a warning to league leaders Liverpool – the title race isn’t over.

Leicester registered its eighth successive Premier League victory – a club record – with Jamie Vardy netting twice in its 4-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday.

The problem for Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers is that Liverpool are eight points in front.

There is still more than half the season remaining and a meeting between the top two on December 26.

“I don’t think anyone expects us to be near the top,” former Reds boss Rodgers said.

“After Manchester United won at Manchester City on Saturday, the caption came up about how far City are away from Liverpool (14 points).

“We respect that, we get on with our work and keep developing as a team.”

Rodgers knows all about title challenges, winning the Scottish top flight twice with Celtic after falling just short of City in the 2014 title race while managing Liverpool.

He watched from afar as Claudio Ranieri defied 5000-1 odds to win the Premier League for Leicester in 2016.

“We have finished ninth in the last two seasons but today we looked like a top team,” Rodgers said.

“It was a real historic day, to surpass the club record of straight wins in the top flight was fantastic for us.”

Vardy opened the scoring in the 20th minute and Kelechi Iheanacho doubled the lead four minutes before halftime.

Jack Grealish pulled a goal back in first-half stoppage time but Jonny Evans’ header after the break restored Leicester’s two-goal advantage before Vardy wrapped the game up with 15 minutes left with his 16th of the campaign.

“Jamie is such a top-level player, he is always ready when the chances come,” Rodgers said.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt he isn’t going to score.”

Elsewhere, Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan has now made the second-most saves this season with 62 after his performance in Brighton & Hove Albion’s 2-2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The results saw Wolves match a 57-year-old club record by going an 11th top-flight game unbeaten.

Diogo Jota got the opener for Wolves and the leveller on 44 minutes.

Neal Maupay and Davy Propper struck in quick succession to give Brighton a 2-1 lead.

Meanwhile, Southampton and Norwich City are in the bottom three after both lost 2-1 on Sunday.

Sheffield United came from behind to overcome Norwich courtesy of a George Baldock winner to move into eighth place while Newcastle jumped to 10th thanks to Federico Fernandez’s 87th-minute strike at home to the Saints.

-with AAP