Second-half double secure Foxes win at Palace

Second half goals from Çağlar Söyüncü and Jamie Vardy helped Leicester to an impressive away win at Crystal Palace.

Leicester made their intentions clear early on, Jamie Vardy looking to get in behind the centre-back pairing of James Tomkins and Gary Cahill.

Harvey Barnes’ shot from the edge of the area was well held by Vicente Guaita in the Palace goal after Cheikhou Kouyate had poorly conceded possession to Youri Tielemans in midfield.

Down the other end, Jordan Ayew’s shot was blocked after clever build-up play from Wilfried Zaha and Jeffrey Schlupp.

Ayew then blazed over minutes later as opportunities continued to be created for both sides.

James Maddison played Vardy in behind again with a beautiful pass with the outside of his right boot on 18 minutes but Guaita stood tall from a tight angle to prevent the Englishman’s tenth goal of the Premier League season.

Jonny Evans headed over from a corner soon after as Leicester began to dominate at Selhurst Park.

Ayoze Perez looked to be clean through on the Palace goal after intercepting a ball on the half way line but Patrick van Aanholt sprinted back to rescue his team.

An error in communication almost allowed Foxes right-back Ricardo Pereira to steal in from a Maddison free-kick, Cahill and Guaita relieved to see a header fly wide.

Guaita had to be off his line quickly when Vardy was almost rolled in by Tielemans, the Spaniard aware of the Leicester striker’s pace.

Schlupp’s dipping deflected effort forced Schmeichel to tip over and give the home side a chance as half time loomed.

Sustained Eagles attacks failed to trouble Leicester’s captain to any great extent as the scores remained goalless at half-time.

Palace came out the brighter in the second-half and could have taken the lead if not some last-ditch Leicester defending from Pereira.

An impressive Ayoze Perez run culminated in a Leicester corner as the visitors had weathered an early second half storm.

The resulting corner saw Jonny Evans’ header saved well by Guaita. The following corner produced a different result however.

Maddison’s ball was failed to be cleared at the front post by van Aanholt with Çağlar Söyüncü on hand behind him to steer the ball in for his first Premier League goal.

It was a sloppy goal for the Eagles to concede from an area which they are usually so solid.

van Aanholt sought redemption when blazing over from range, Wilfried Zaha less than impressed with the Dutchman’s decision to shoot.

A swift counter attack from Maddison and Harvey Barnes almost allowed the latter a chance for the second but the 21-year-old’s heavy touch evaded him.

Jamie Vardy forced Tomkins into smothering the ball when on the floor, the striker a constant nuisance as ever for the defending back line.

Leicester were now playing with more freedom since Söyüncü’s opener with the creative Maddison starting to enjoy the space he was now being afforded as Palace searched for an equaliser.

Appeals for a handball against Ben Chilwell were waved away, the left-back fortunate the ball just struck his thigh when appearing to block the ball in an unnatural position.

Wilfried Ndidi’s effort from long-range whistled past the Palace goal as the Nigerian almost produced a moment of magic to double Leicester’s lead.

Wilfried Zaha’s effort when chopping inside was blocked as the home team failed to create meaningful chances with only ten minutes left to play.

James Tomkins’ tackle on Vardy denied the chance to double the lead but the striker soon made up for the missed chance.

After the ball was fed into substitute Demarai Gary, the winger exchanged passes with Vardy, who struck a low ball past Guaita to take his tally into double figures in the Premier League this season and ensure three points for Leicester.

Ben Chilwell almost secured a third after hitting the post but two-nil it remained as Leicester go back above Chelsea into third spot.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, van Aanholt, Kouyate (Meyer, 74), Milivojevic (C), McArthur (McCarthy, 78), Schlupp, Zaha, Ayew (Benteke, 78)

Crystal Palace unused substitutes: Hennessey, Dann, Kelly, Camarasa

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel (C), Pereira, Söyüncü, Evans, Chilwell, Tielemans, Ndidi, Barnes (Morgan, 84), Maddison (Praet, 90), Perez (Gray, 74), Vardy

Leicester City unused substitutes: Ward, Justin, Albrighton, Iheanacho