Reuters
Leicester, March 15: Shinji Okazaki scored with a spectacular overhead kick as Leicester City overcame Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United 1-0 here Monday to restore a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
Leicester struck after 25 minutes when the flying Japanese beat goalkeeper Rob Elliot from close range after striker Jamie Vardy nodded the ball across the danger area.
Claudio Ranieri’s men have 63 points with eight matches to go, five ahead of second-placed Tottenham Hotspur, 11 in front of third-placed Arsenal and 12 ahead of Manchester City who both have a game in hand.
Leicester have been consistent all season, having now ground out 12 wins by a one-goal margin, more than any other team, and went about the task with the usual aim to put their opponents under pressure at the King Power Stadium.
However, they managed just one shot on target, albeit a special strike, against a battling Newcastle who remain second-bottom on 24 points, one behind Norwich City and north-east rivals Sunderland.
“Shinji works his socks off week-in, week-out so he deserves something like that. A special goal, a special moment for us,” Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater told ‘Sky Sports’. “We got the goal and kind of sat back I think. It was pretty ugly on our side but it’s the three points that matter.”
Spaniard Benitez could not have faced a much tougher opening fixture with his side facing relegation.
