Jamie Vardy has equalled Ruud van Nistelrooy's record of scoring in 10 consecutive Premier League matches to lead Leicester City to a 3-0 victory over Newcastle United at St James' Park and move Claudio Ranieri's side to the top of the Premier League table.
Premier League top scorer Vardy was passed fit to start for the Foxes and attempt to match Van Nistelrooy's feat, and he had the first sniff of a chance when his shot was blocked inside the penalty area in the opening minutes.
Newcastle began to come into the game and had chances of their own, first when Moussa Sissoko saw his effort blocked before substitute Florian Thauvin found Ayoze Perez, but the striker could only blaze high and wide under pressure from Kante's challenge.
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In a first half short on quality, it was Newcastle who nearly broke the deadlock again from just their second genuine attack when Georginio Wijnaldum met a corner but was prevented from turning the ball home by a crucial challenge from Robert Huth.
Vardy rolled Chancel Mbemba but the Magpies centre-back got in an important recovery challenge to deny the striker as a dominant Leicester searched for an opener before the break, and after Rob Elliot prevented Mahrez from capping a fine solo run with a goal, it finally arrived from a familiar source.
Vardy received the ball on the left side of the penalty area and he cut inside his marker and drilled a fine strike low past Elliot to record his 13th goal of the season and hand the Foxes the lead in first-half stoppage time.
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The Magpies had a clear chance to level shortly after the restart when Aleksandar Mitrovic met Sissoko's pass but fired a tame effort straight at Kasper Schmeichel, then Vardy smashed an effort off the crossbar after holding off Mbemba as Leicester's main threat again came close.
However, it was Vardy's strike partner who doubled the lead moments later as Mahrez was given time and space to pick out Leonardo Ulloa in the box and the Argentine was completely unmarked to head past Elliot and double the lead.
Marc Albrighton drilled an effort wide across the face of goal and Wes Morgan headed wide as Claudio Ranieri's side looked to add to their lead, and they did make it 3-0 when Shinji Okazaki headed home a rebound after Andy King had been denied to seal the win and move Leicester to the top of the Premier League table.
Tom Nightingale
