Leicester City moved seven points clear at the top of the Championship with a 4-1 victory against Derby County tonight.
The home side went ahead when Ritchie de Laet slotted in. Their lead was extended early in the second half as the ball rebounded off David Nugent and bobbled past the goalkeeper.
The Rams gave themselves a lifeline in the 58th minute when Jake Buxton's header deflected off De Laet and into the net, but Craig Forsyth tripped Jamie Vardy in the box and Nugent slammed home his penalty.
Vardy wrapped up the win with a calm finish under Lee Grant.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage as Championship leaders Leicester City take on Derby County at the King Power Stadium.
It's sure to be a great match, with both sides in brilliant form. The Rams top the division's form guide based on their last six matches, despite losing 1-0 at home to Wigan Athletic in their previous league match. Meanwhile, the hosts collected 13 points over the same period, but with an inferior goal difference.
Before we go any further, let's take a look at the team news, starting with Leicester.
LEICESTER CITY: Schmeichel; De Laet, Konchesky, Morgan, Moore; Drinkwater, Knockaert, James, Dyer; Vardy, Nugent
SUBS: Hammond, King, Schlupp, Taylor-Fletcher, Logan, Wasilewski, Wood
DERBY COUNTY: Grant; Wisdom, Keane, Buxton, Forsyth; Hendrick, Bryson, Hughes, Ward; Dawkins, Martin
SUBS: Legzdins, Freeman, Sammon, Bennett, Bamford, Bailey, Eustace
So, the home side bring back Morgan, Moore, Drinkwater, Nugent and Dyer, while Chris Wood is fit enough for the bench. For Derby, new signing Patrick Bamford starts from the bench, which means an attack of Chris Martin, Jamie Ward and Simon Dawkins. Skipper Richard Keogh and striker Johnny Russell are unavailable.
Back to the build-up now, and earlier in the week Foxes manager Nigel Pearson admitted that tonight is a "big game". He told the Leicester Mercury: "It is a big game because it is Derby County and a big game because it is a local derby at our place. I suppose in the context of the season it will be an exciting fixture for people to look forward to, because we are doing well at the moment and Derby have had a fantastic run of late and are one of the form teams, if not the form team."
His Derby counterpart, who was named as Championship manager of the month for December, also sees this match, and indeed January, as a "critical" part of his club's season. Steve McClaren told the Derby Telegraph: "For all the teams battling for promotion, January is a critical month. You come through December and breathe a huge sigh of relief, because there are so many games in that month, and then you have to go again. It is a mentality thing."
CONFIRMED TEAM: Morgan, Moore, Drinkwater, Nugent, Dyer all return. Fit-again Wood among the subs. #lcfcvdcfc pic.twitter.com/BYRzXzyklg
— Leicester City (@OfficialFOXES) January 10, 2014
Leicester have won both meetings in all competitions this season. They won 1-0 away in the Championship in August and then beat Derby 2-1 at home in the Capital One Cup.
Key to this contest could be Leicester's home form. They are unbeaten in the last nine meetings in all competitions at home, winning the last four. Can the Rams break that sequence?
Hopefully we will get goals tonight. The home side have scored 42 league goals, while Derby better that with 48. With the likes of Nugent, Vardy, Martin and Dawkins on the pitch, there should be plenty of chances.
Not long to go before kickoff, what are you predictions for this one? I'll give you mine in a few moments.
PREDICTION: Well, it's very tough to call, but home advantage could be important. With that in mind, I'm going for 2-1 to the Foxes.
The players are on the pitch and we're almost ready to go.
KICKOFF! Here we go, the home side get us underway.
Decent bit of play from Chris Martin, who chests down a long ball and looks to find a teammate. Leicester manage to clear, however.
An even start to this one. We're yet to have an effort on goal, but it's very much in the early stages. Derby are closing down at every opportunity.
WIDE! Antony Knockaert has a shot at goal from about 25 yards out, but it's weak and rolls wide of Lee Grant's goal. He probably should have found a teammate, rather than going for goal from that position.
Derby come forward and Dawkins runs at the defence, and eventually wins a corner for the visitors. However, it's easily dealt with by the home side, who counter attack with Jamie Vardy. The striker crosses the ball, but Grant collects.
The Rams are almost in from a counter attack of their own... but no, the home side just manage to clear the ball.
WIDE! Now it's Dawkins's turn to shoot wide from a promising position. Kasper Schmeichel watches it go out for a goal kick.
OVER THE BAR! Knockaert has the ball in the middle and shows great skill to skip past a Derby player. He has room to pass or shoot, and opts for the latter. However, his effort goes high over the bar.
Derby have had around 60% of possession so far. Can they find a cutting edge to go with it?
MISS! Oh! Leicester should be 1-0 up! Vardy and Nugent work the ball to Dyer on the left. He then has a shot at goal, which is parried by Grant. The rebound falls to Matthew James around 10 yards out, but he can only put the ball wide. Great chance.
The home side are on top now, and it's Dyer who is a danger for the Foxes. This time he crosses from the left, but Derby manage to get it out.
HEADER! Nugent glances a header wide from a James free kick. It was only a half chance, but Derby need to get out of their own half.
CLOSE! Drinkwater drives in a low cross, but it evades everyone in the box and flicks the outside of the post! I don't think he meant that, but it almost worked!
Good defending from Moore, who makes an excellent block from Forsyth's cross. Martin was lurking in the box.
OVER THE BAR! Lovely, patient build-up play from Leicester before James picks it up and goes for goal from distance. It's moving in the air, but goes just too high.
SAVE! The home side are looking very strong at the moment, and Grant has just denied them the opening goal with a good save. Nugent manages to hold off his marker before flicking the ball in the air and volleying at goal. Grant is equal to it, however, and pushes it out for a corner.
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 1-0 DERBY COUNTY (De Laet)
It is 1-0 now! Ritchie de Laet drives forward from the back, plays a one-two with Nugent and then drills home from about 15 yards. Poor defending, but a smart finish.
How will Derby respond? They have been unable to produce anything in the attacking areas for some time now. But, as I say that, they win a corner.
Schmeichel gets it away and the home side start again. You feel that Derby need to get Will Hughes on the ball more often.
Nugent runs forward with plenty of space. However, he is closed down and has to go wide to Knockaert. After twisting and turning, he delivers a cross, but it's headed away.
SAVE! Leicester are very dominant now. They have had 10 attempts compared to Derby's two, who again call on Grant to save them, as their goalkeeper pushes away Dyer's drilled shot.
GREAT SAVE! Nigel Pearson can't believe that his side aren't 2-0 up. Great link up play between Vardy and Nugent sees the latter drive a low shot from the edge of the box, but Grant tips it away. Vardy connects with the rebound, which flicks off the top of the bar.
HITS THE BAR! The crossbar comes to Derby's rescue again, this time as Moore's header following a corner smacks the woodwork.
A moment of panic in the Leicester box here as Ward's delivery bounces around. Schmeichel makes a good save, but the whistle had already gone.
WIDE! This is a brilliant match to watch. Chances are coming thick and fast, and this time it's Nugent who volleys wide from the edge of the box. He had Knockaert to his right, but you can't blame him for taking a chance.
Derby have improved in the last few minutes, but they are slow to react to the ball. The Foxes have a free kick on the right-hand side and it is Knockaert to take.
That comes to nothing, and Nugent concedes a free kick deep in Leicester territory.
HALF TIME: LEICESTER CITY 1-0 DERBY COUNTY
The whistle goes at the end of a thrilling first half at the King Power Stadium. Apart from the opening 10 minutes, the home side dominated and probably should have scored more.
MATCH STATS: Leicester had 52% of possession, and 15 shots, five of which were on target. On the other hand, Derby had just three shots in the first half.
McClaren might consider making a change during half time. He has Patrick Bamford on the bench, as well as the likes of James Bailey and Conor Sammon.
Leicester's main threat has come through Lloyd Dyer, who has caused Andre Wisdom a number of problems. Nugent and Vardy have also been superb at holding the ball up.
#lcfc's @nuge101235 and #dcfc's former Fox Michael Keane in combat at King Power Stadium. @SkyBetChamp #lcfcvdcfc pic.twitter.com/4P52W3BTAy
— Leicester City (@OfficialFOXES) January 10, 2014
KICKOFF! We're underway in the second half at the King Power Stadium.
An early free kick for the home side is launched forward. The heads go up, but Derby clear for a throw in.
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 2-0 DERBY COUNTY (Nugent)
Oh my. It is shocking defending by Derby's defence, but Nugent gets very lucky with his goal. A long kick from Schmeichel bounces in the Derby box and Vardy pounces. Nugent's shot is then blocked by Buxton, but it deflects off Nugent and rolls in.
Derby just need to calm down and get a few touches on the ball. At the moment, they are nervous in possession and in danger of going further behind.
#dcfc Match Action: Midfielder @bryso7 slides into a tackle against #lcfc at the King Power Stadium: pic.twitter.com/cSfi1AWnR1
— Derby County (@dcfcofficial) January 10, 2014
DERBY SUBS: Dawkins is replaced by on-loan debutant Patrick Bamford and Ward comes off for Mason Bennett.
It looks like Bamford is on the right-hand side, which could mean that he is on to help out Wisdom.
Will Hughes shows Derby's first attacking threat for some time, and wins a corner. After being cleared, another deep cross comes in, and Bamford's shot is deflected over.
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 2-1 DERBY COUNTY (De Laet OG)
Derby are right back in this match! A corner bounces off Buxton and is deflected in by Ritchie De Laet. Game on!
PENALTY TO LEICESTER!
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 3-1 DERBY COUNTY (Nugent)
Oh dear. McClaren is fuming on the Derby bench, and he has every right to be. Forsyth takes out Vardy on the right side of the box and Nugent hammers in the penalty. Game over?
GOAL! LEICESTER CITY 4-1 DERBY COUNTY (Vardy)
A mad couple of minutes at the King Power Stadium and the home side are now 4-1 ahead! Nugent robs Hendricks and slips in Vardy. The striker remains calm and finishes well, slotting the ball in the corner.
What a great second half we've had so far. Apart from that Derby goal, Leicester have been utterly dominant. The away side have thrown away their chance to get something from this. At 2-1, it was game on, but Forsyth's challenge on Vardy was madness.
The home side have another corner now, but Paul Konchesky is down injured.
LEICESTER SUB: Konchesky can't continue and Schlupp is on to replace him.
That corner comes to nothing and the Foxes have the ball at the back. The home fans are enjoying this performance. On tonight's evidence, Leicester look good for promotion.
Derby attack and Mason Bennett's cross is a good one, but it's too high for Martin and is put out for a corner, which is poor.
DERBY SUB: Derby make their final change, as Conor Sammon comes on for Martin.
Not much to report on in terms of chances since that fourth goal. The home side are happy to attack at the right moments, while Derby are comfortable on the ball, but are missing the final pass.
This pretty much sums up Derby's night. Bryson does well to turn in the box, but his powerful shot is blocked by Sammon on the penalty spot.
YELLOW CARD! Bryson gets a booking for a foul on James.
LEICESTER SUB: Another change for Leicester sees Chris Wood come on for Vardy.
CHANCE! It should be five. Schlupp and Wood combine, but Wood's shot from the edge of the box is poor and runs wide. It was a decent chance for the returning striker.
LEICESTER SUB: Gary Taylor-Fletcher is on for David Nugent.
The home side are happy to let Derby pass it around in midfield. But, Bamford almost gets in on goal, before Moore slides in with a fine tackle.
A very revealing stat shows that Derby have yet to have a shot on target in 87 minutes of football. I think that says it all.
CHANCE! Fantastic football again here! Wood does well to flick the ball to Dyer, but just as he is about to pull the trigger, he is tackled by Buxton.
We have three minutes of added time. Leicester City are about to go seven points clear at the top of the Championship.
FULL TIME: LEICESTER CITY 4-1 DERBY COUNTY
There's the full-time whistle as the referee brings this match to an end. Leicester fully deserved their win against a disappointing Derby side.
It looked like Derby could get back into the match when Ritchie de Laet scored an own goal to make it 2-1. However, a moment of madness just one minute later cost them, as Craig Forsyth tripped Jamie Vardy in the box and David Nugent slammed home the penalty. Vardy then completed the scoring four minutes later.
That's all from me tonight, but do stay with us for reaction to this result and plenty of other news. Goodbye!
Written by
Gary Peters
Gary Peters
