HUDDERSFIELD TOWN 1, LEICESTER CITY 4
Jamie Vardy scored a brace and Youri Tielemans and James Maddison also scored as Leicester City beat relegated Huddersfield Town to go 7th in the Premier League.
Youri Tielemans and Vardy gave the Foxes a solid lead early in the second half against the Terriers who had shaded the first 20 minutes.
Embed from Getty ImagesAaron Mooy scored a penalty early in the second half but the Terriers couldn’t grab an equaliser and instead James Maddison’s free kick and Vardy’s penalty killed them off.
The win for Leicester put them up to 7th in the Premier League on goal difference after their fourth straight Premier League win.
The result leaves Town still needing 1 more goal to go level with Derby County (07/08) as the lowest scorers in Premier League history.
Both sides could be forgiven for having an eye on the next season but the Foxes arrived on the back of three straight wins with a chance of finishing high enough to secure European football next season.
Huddersfield Town manager Jan Siewert made just one change from the side that was relegated at Crystal Palace last week.
Jon Gorenc Stankovic started in place of Juninho Bacuna who dropped to the bench while the Terriers’ Danish trio of Jonas Lossl, Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jorgensen, and Philip Billing continued to be left out.
Ben Hamer lined up against his former club as Siewert looked to make plans for the Championship.
Brendan Rodgers omitted Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans, who has a hip injury, and the Foxes manager also made one change with Caglar Soyuncu coming in for Evans.
The pressure of a relegation dogfight had been weighing down on Town recently and the freedom that came with knowing their fate for the next season seemed to lift a cloud from over the John Smith’s Stadium.
It was certainly difficult to tell which side was chasing a European spot in the opening 20 minutes of the game and both sets of fans were good natured in their chanting and created a good atmosphere.
Leicester City grab two goals to take the lead
The Foxes gradually began to create chances though.
Harvey Barnes’ cross was spilled by Hamer in the 18th minute, but James Maddison’s followup was saved by the Town goalkeeper who got the ball at the second attempt.
Demarai Gray’s tame 25 yard shot 2 minutes later was also saved low down by Hamer who also had a shot blocked.
Youri Tielemans then fired City into the lead in the 24th minute after Maddison’s corner was half cleared by Chris Schindler – the Belgian’s shot over the crowd caught Hamer out.
Gray sliced a shot wide and Maddison went close as the Foxes looked to quickly double their advantage.
Town had their first shot on goal after 28 minutes – a long range shot by Erik Durm which was always going wide.
And the Terriers still lacked quality in front of goal – Alex Pritchard’s inventive lob was cleared off the line by Caglar Soyuncu after Wes Morgan’s attempted clearance of Terence Kongolo’s overhit through ball went straight to the Town playmaker in the 36th minute.
Tielemans went for a low free kick through a crowd from 30 yards after Gray was brought down as Leicester remained the side more like to score.
The flying Leicester winger was denied by Hamer after 42 minutes after he got past the porous Town defence which was being routinely bypassed by the Foxes.
Jamie Vardy finally had a go and his cross/shot from wide on the left was tipped away by Hamer.
Jan Siewert made a half time change, with Isaac Mbenza coming on for Jon Gorenc Stankovic.
And Mbenza got into the action immediately, crossing for Karlan Grant to get a shot on goal from 6 yards out which was palmed away by Kasper Schmeichel who also saved the follow-up by Durm.
But Leicester doubled their advantage in the 48th minute.
Ricardo Pereira’s cross found Jamie Vardy at the back post and the Foxes striker duly scored from 6 yards out despite a question of offside.
Aaron Mooy scores a penalty to give Huddersfield Town hope but Leicester finish off the Terriers
Town struck back immediately and won a penalty.
Grant was brought down by Soyuncu who was already stretching to reach a poor back pass by Wilfried Ndidi.
Aaron Mooy sent Schmeichel the wrong way with his spot kick in the 52nd minute.
Maddison’s shot was deflected just wide of his own goal by Kongolo as the Foxes took a full part in the much improved second half.
Steve Mounie was brought on in the 60th minute for Pritchard while Shinji Okazaki replaced Barnes a minute later.
Mounie forced a save out of Schmeichel as Town looked for the equaliser.
Vardy found himself offside on a couple of occasions as Leicester tried to exploit holes left behind in the Town fightback.
Hogg gave away a free kick 20 yards out in the 78th minute, hauling down Vardy as he tried to find space to turn and shoot.
But 20 yards was plenty for James Maddison whose exquisite free kick was curled into the back of the net.
Hogg was immediately replace by Juninho Bacuna but the Terriers conceded a penalty when Kongolo brought down Vardy after a Leicester pass was deflected by a Town defender into his path
Hamer got a hand to the flying Foxes striker’s spot kick but couldn’t prevent the ball from going in to his left.
Mounie had a late chance to at least draw the Terriers level on goals scored with Derby County’s 07/08 team but missed the target.
And Vardy rolled a hat trick chance wide after turning Chris Schindler inside out as the Foxes comfortably saw out the win.
GOALS – Huddersfield Town 1, Leicester City 4
. Youri Tielemans with a gorgeous right footed shot from 20 yards after Christopher Schindle only half clears James Maddison’s corner after Jamie Vardy had got a foot on it.
Huddersfield Town 0, Leicester City 2: 48. Slack defending by Town allowed Ricardo Pereira to advance and his cross found Jamie Vardy at the back post and the Foxes striker duly scored from 6 yards out despite a question of offside.
Huddersfield Town 1, Leicester City 2: 52. A solid penalty by Aaron Mooy to halve the deficit after Karlan Grant was brought down by an overstretching Caglar Soyuncu. Kasper Schmeichel dived the wrong way as Mooy hit his spot kick to the right.
Huddersfield Town 1, Leicester City 3: 79. James Maddison curled in a 20 yard free kick inside the back post after Jamie Vardy had been dragged down by Jonathan Hogg.
Huddersfield Town 1, Leicester City 4: 84. Ben Hamer gets a hand to Jamie Vardy’s penalty but can’t prevent it from going in. Vardy converted after a Leicester player’s pass was deflected into his path by a Town defender.
MATCH STATS – Huddersfield Town 1, Leicester City 4
Huddersfield Town: Hamer, Smith, Schindler, Kongolo, Durm, Hogg (Bacuna 80), Stankovic (Mbenza 46), Pritchard (Mounie 60), Mooy, Lowe, Grant
Huddersfield Town Subs Not Used: Coleman, Kachunga, Williams, Hadergjonaj
Booked: Hogg 17 (pulled back Maddison), Stankovic 40 (trip on Demarai Gray), Kongolo 84 (fouled Jamie Cardy, conceding a penalty)
Goal: Mooy 52 (pen)
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Pereira, Morgan, Soyuncu, Chilwell, Ndidi (Choudhury 87), Gray, Tielemans, Maddison, Barnes (Okazaki 61), Vardy (Iheanacho 90+2)
Leicester City Subs Not Used: Ward, Mendy, Fuchs, Ghezzal
Goals: Tielemens 24; Vardy 48, 84 (pen); Maddison 79
Attendance: 24,126 (2310 Leicester City fans)