06/02/2016 Match of the Day

Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

COMMENTATOR: Goals came and went. And, Keegan.

Look at his face! Just look at his face!

Look at that. Oh, look at that!

What a goal. Oh, what a goal.

# it's it's just a test #. Oh, what a screamer.

It may be a bit early for a title decider,

but today's match between the top two is certainly one of the most

We've got seven other games for you from the Barclays Premier

League and no shortage of drama at both ends of the table.

Alan Shearer and Ian Wright are doing their best

We start with the big one at the Etihad.

It's the title favourites against the leaders...

The Tinkerman against the Engineer...

The best side at home against the best team away.

A tale of two cities, as Manchester takes on Leicester.

The last 12 teams to be top at the beginning of February have want to

win the Premier League title. If Leicester can strip another positive

paragraph today, then their fairy tale would inch touch closer.

Manchester City though have won seven of their last eight home

games. Pellegrini makes four changes to the team that won at Sunderland.

Sergio Aguero has 12 goals in his last ten Premier League matches.

Leicester are unchanged for the fifth game running. Schmeichel

returns to the club where he began his career, on the back of fine --

five clean sheets in the last six, Vardy leads the scoring charts with

18. Mahrez is without a goal in his last seven games. Leicester City

have beaten Manchester City -- haven't beaten Manchester City since

2003. That was in the Premier League as well. An awful lot has changed on

an off the pitch since then. A decent delivery, punched away by

Hart. Now Mahrez. Straightaway he has Delph for

company, and was caught in the end by Kolarov. The best free kick of

the day. He got a little nudge from him and it was Kolarov that

completed the job. In came Mahrez in the end, and it's in! Its Robert

Huth, two and a half minutes have elapsed and Leicester City are in

front. The Etihad is stunned. What a start for Leicester. Robert Huth's

third goal for the club. Demichelis diverting it past Joe

Hart. The most important thing is it is Manchester City nil, Leicester

City one. Manchester City fans are still taking their seats. They have

come into the stadium with their team behind.

He is looking for Vardy, he might find him. Really important challenge

by Otamendi. Fabulous ball. From Albrighton. Perfectly timed run from

Vardy, and Joe Hart made himself big. He is in charge for the 100th

time in the Premier League, a victory at Sunderland in the week,

65 wins in 100 Premier League games. Only Jose Mourinho can better that

record, and whether he and not Pellegrini will be in Manchester

next season only time will tell. This is why Manchester City are

understandably wary of Leicester. Their pace on the counter. They have

to stay onside. It's a beautifully weighted pass for Drinkwater, and

Hart was required again. They break not only at pace but in numbers

there. They have four on four, Mahrez knew that Drinkwater was

onside. So too did Joe Hart. That man has made the least changes all

season. It's that settled side that have won 14 matches so far.

Crucially they have lost only two. Lovely from Silva. Is there an end

product? Just didn't catch it, Silva. Fabulous, just couldn't

provide the finish. Only two Premier League goals all season for David

Silva. A little touch there from Sterling, Aguero might have been

offside. No flag. He was dispossessed in the end, cleared by

Christian Fuchs. The flag didn't go up, a poor touch from Kolarov. Early

from Mahrez. Vardy, up against Otamendi. Going at Otamendi aren't

delivering it towards Okazaki. That is a defender's nightmare. Jamie

Vardy at full throttle, right against you. Otamendi was helpless

here. Manchester City thankful that Okazaki couldn't get a more

significant touch on that. Look at the pace of Vardy there, a little

look at the awareness. Manchester City survive. Toure has space to his

right. There is the Argentinian. Trying to link up with Toure. The

referee has blown for the free kick. It was given by his assistant.

Zabaleta is saying to the referee it was in the penalty area. He is

showing him whether challenge was made. Free kick has been given.

Let's have a closer look. Just outside. It was an extremely tight

call. Just watch the contact. Half an inch. If that. This is the

situation that Aleksandar Kolarov may fancy. If that left foot of his,

that was drilled. Look at the pace he generates here. Manchester City

looking to start the second half in a much better vain than they did the

first. Zabaleta can't get there. Here comes Kante.

Trying to find Mahrez, and he has succeeded. It's Riyad Mahrez,

wonderful skill, what a goal! Riyad Mahrez with a fantastic strike, to

double Leicester's advantage. What a way to end seven games without a

goal for the Algerian international. It has taken him only three minutes

in the second half to add to their first half goal. Watch where it all

began, with Albrighton. Then the energy of Kante, but look at this

from Mahrez. Completely bemused Demichelis, and followed it up with

a clinical strike past Joe Hart. The 14th goal of his incredible season

and it might just write another chapter of Leicester's incredible

season. Manchester City nil, Leicester City two. Yaya Toure is

being removed, five and a half minutes into the second half. He is

being replaced by Fernando. The decision to play Fabian Delph today

hasn't worked for Manuel Pellegrini. He too is being taken off.

Iheanacho, the teenager, is coming on.

And nicely weighted pass. Zabaleta with the cross. It's gone out of

play, but it is a Manchester City corner. Their ninth of this game.

They haven't conjured up anything from one. In from Silva, that was a

better one. What a save from Schmeichel to deny Fernando, the

substitute. Terrific start from Schmeichel. Brilliant save. Down to

his left hand side. Manchester City crowd was quiet and very early on in

this game. Kante is available again for Leicester. They have won three

of their last four. A late challenge by Zabaleta. On Albrighton.

Leicester free kick. No need to debate that one. Robert Huth and

Morgan are forward for this, Hart with a good early punch. It might

drop to Vardy. It has. Terrific touch in towards Okazaki, Demichelis

I think got the final touch. Electric again from Vardy. Look at

the way he achieves this. Just goes past Zabaleta and drilled it in

towards Okazaki, good defending from Demichelis. In towards Morgan.

Robert Huth got bat first. And he has scored again! Robert Huth, with

his second, and Leicester's third. It was a simple corner and Robert

has just guided that header back where it came from, past Joe Hart.

Claudio Ranieri cannot believe the position his team are in. Manchester

City nil, Leicester City three. Well, you can hear a pin drop inside

the stadium. He is struggling to take this in.

Vardy is getting in between the two defenders here. A chance for four,

denied by Hart. It was Drinkwater again with the ball to Vardy. That's

been a thoroughly successful combination this season for

Leicester. Jamie Vardy on that occasion Mahut didn't mind -- did

remind the Manchester City supporters of the current scoreline.

They may be on the hotline to Pep Guardiola tonight, or leave it until

Monday. They are going for the jugular, Leicester. Manchester City

totally deflated. Vardy is onside. He has had a few chances today, the

Premier League's top scorer. He timed his run, asked for it, and

could only find the side netting. Still seven minutes to go, you know.

Arsenal next. The way his team have played today, they will play their

without fear. A good cross from the Norwegian.

Schmeichel couldn't gather, he got the final touch. A Manchester City

corner. There haven't been too many troublesome moments in all honesty

for Leicester all afternoon. Well defended by Drinkwater.

From Celina, and they've got one back. They haven't got their clean

sheet, Leicester. Sergio Aguero, with his 18th goal of the season

makes it 3-1. They defended the first ball and then the early cross.

Aguero may have been fractionally offside. It will matter not in the

outcome. Manchester City one, Leicester three.

Manchester City might just feel if they can get another one they could

cause a nervous ending. Kante again mopping things up. Simpson's

backpass, straight to Aguero. He didn't see him. Danny Simpson

breathes a huge sigh of relief. He can smile now, just didn't see

Sergio Aguero here. In the end the angle was too tight. The whistle

goes. It's a 15th Premier League win for Claudio Ranieri's team of this

season. But surely this is the most significant, and those doubters who

say they can't win the league might just have dwindled a little tonight,

as they open a 6-point lead above Manchester City in the Premier

League table. Manchester City one, Leicester City three.

I am very pleased we won here. It wasn't easy. It was a tough match

but we scored at the beginning of the match and we played very, very

compact and believed everything could be possible. I think Leicester

played better than our team. We conceded a goal in the first two

minutes and set pieces and that was important for the game. The way

Leicester played. But I think. Defensively is that a concern, the

goals you conceded? I don't complain about the team. It's a big dream. We

didn't expect to come here and score three goals. Fantastic team, a

fantastic win. Are you in the title race, you can say that now? I don't

know. I'm not going to lie, the first six months away, you think of

the title but we will see what can happen. We play without pressure

because we don't have to win the league. We must enjoy. I think this

is a fantastic moment for the Premier League. Nobody knows who can

win the league. I must say that I got a bit

emotional watching that game, extraordinary from Leicester. More

news, Jamie Vardy has signed a new contract that will keep him at the

club until 2019, further good news for their fans. Good news all

around, what's the secret on this occasion? Leicester dismantled

Manchester City, giving them a lesson in desire, hunger,

determination, teamwork and a lesson in how to when a football match.

They were superb. Stunning performance. They were brilliant.

You've just said that! What was the secret? We've watched Leicester all

season hitting teams on the counterattack, but they did it so

well today. We know that they get men behind the ball, so

well-organised. Four at the back and four in midfield, compact, no space

for Manchester City to play. Sending them into the trap if you like where

they have so many bodies. Stealing the ball and the first thought is

whether they can get the ball forward to Vardy, using his pace.

Didn't work then. Drinkwater, unbelievable with Kante today. Look

how they break new. Winning the ball on the edge of the box and all of a

sudden from the ball, four men in the opposition half attacking,

running behind. I said about desire and hunger, Drinkwater started the

move and now he's at the other end of the pitch trying to get the ball

into the box. Second half, ten men behind the ball, Vardy is up. Simple

but so effective, one touch to Jamie Vardy and look at them again, Kante,

Okazaki, running all day, running at the city back four and they couldn't

handle them. It was brilliant to watch. So many warnings. This was

the goal, Mahrez on the edge of his box. Look at the speed. The desire

from all of the players to run into space, to cause problems, it was

staggering, brilliant to watch. I mentioned Kante, rolling it to

Mahrez and look at that see you later, what a dummy. Stunning

finish. Mahrez, for me, without a shadow of a doubt, the Player of the

Season so far. Here we are in February and we are massively

surprised that the team at the top of the table have won a game. Yeah,

because everybody is expecting Leicester at some stage, for the

wheel to fall off. Expecting that for five months. It's not happening

because we are seeing a team who have the capability, the fitness and

the desire. Cheap as chips. Someone like Wes Morgan and Robert Huth.

Stoke could do with him now. Mahrez, coming for 400,000, Kante, one

decent season in the First Division. Albrighton, I know that Aston Villa

fans were disappointed to see him go. Danny Simpson signed for

Manchester United, a lot of hope for him but now he is doing good stuff.

223 million, Manchester City, and it was 20 million, Leicester. You

should make the comparison because I think they put them to shame. One of

those players you mentioned, Robert Huth, he has been a rock in defence

but he also chipped in with a couple of goals. He has been brilliant,

that was my role, defending the near post. Zabaleta isn't doing anything

in that position. He has to be level with the ball and if it is short,

then he should clear it. He doesn't, he isn't doing anything in that

position. The wanted it more than Demichelis, the desire and hunger is

there -- Robert Huth wanted it. Take his goals out of it and he was still

brilliant. Demichelis didn't learn his lesson because the same thing

happened again, he wanted it more than him. Similar to the goal he

scored at Spurs. Getting it into the corner. Those two, Morgan and Robert

Huth, superb defending. That was the icing on the cake, the goals for

him. I hate to ask this but I have too, can they may lead to it, can

they win the title? For the first time, the dynamics have changed.

Everyone expected them to blow up but now they don't and they are the

favourites for the league. I can only draw comparisons to a similar

situation when I was at Blackburn when we won the league, we took on

the big boys, they didn't like it and that's what Leicester are doing

now. We were unbeaten in ten games and then comes the crunch, the last

six games, we won two of them, we fell over the line, winning because

Manchester United were not good enough on the last day. It's

inevitable that the pressure will get to them. What do you think, Ian?

I think that they will come of the intensity and closing down, three

games in the next 20, they can do it. That is lovely to hear.

To White Hart Lane now, where Spurs are quietly putting

Nicely poised in third, they had a London derby

against Watford to look forward to, as did John Motson.

Harry Kane has scored 17 goals in his last 17 competitive appearances

for Tottenham, quite a record when you consider he did not score in his

first eight games of the season. Spurs are without Dele Alli who went

off feeling unwell against Norwich on Tuesday and he is on the bench.

Watford's top scorer, Odion Ighalo passed a fitness test but his

partner and Captain Troy Deeney failed one. Lyon replacing Paredes

at right back. Not the greatest run, Watford, but they have got closer to

the 40 point benchmark. -- Nyom. Looking ominous, it is Ben Davies.

He has yet to score for Tottenham. Pochettino will achieve something

that no other top the manager has managed since Bill Nicholson in the

60s if you can get them to second at the end of the season. Nice little

ball to Eriksen. He's got it back, Ben Davies. A one-handed save by

Gomes. Neither Tottenham player in the middle could cotton on to it.

Again, the Watford goalkeeper, the former Tottenham goalkeeper indeed,

shining as he has done all season. Watford haven't really got out of

their own half very often, that's the truth of the first half. Oh, Ben

Davies. And again, Gomes gets something on it. I think Cathcart

may have done to start with. Ben Davies has been in three good

attacking positions in the first half. Obdurate and obstinate,

Watford, in defence. Organise, not in anyway overawed by the opposition

they've seen this season. Payne closing in! -- Kane. Watford doing

what they've done all season, standing up to the so-called big

boys and holding their own. Lamela, he has gone. He can't get around two

of them. Spurs have a corner here. Wimmer is up with Dier and out of

are. -- and Alderweireld. Gomes getting his fist to that. This is

Lamela. Oh, Gomes stretched his arms out, Tottenham asking for the

penalty. Birds are convinced that Gomes... Well, did he bring down

Harry Kane? -- Spurs are convinced. I'm not sure. Eriksen coming in from

the far side. Again, Gomes. Unorthodox but he keeps it out.

Well, the Brazilian goalkeeper who has had two or three, more than

that, outstanding matches, he was second in the Player of the Year at

Watford last year. He may have to settle for that again if Ighalo

keeps scoring. Being Austin, former Tottenham full-back and now I coach

at Watford. Spanish speaking which helps in their multilingual dressing

room. -- Dean Austin. A good touch from Harry Kane. Dembele is away

here. Alli, it has gone across and it's in! It's Kieran Trippier with

his first ever goal for Spurs. Extraordinary crossfield move,

Tottenham taking the lead. Alli, already influential, the substitute.

Welcomer Kieran Trippier got the occasional goal at Burnley but he

never could have expected to open the scoring here -- well, Kieran

Trippier. Spurs motoring on. It cut out Gomes and the defenders and

Trippier tapping it in at the far post. 1-0, Spurs. That's a good ball

from Dembele to Trippier. Sun down the side. -- Son. Makes room for the

shot and Gomes blocks it again. Son looking, having just come on, to

make it 2-0. Finding enough room for the shot. Again, Gomes, that huge

body blocking the shot. Wimmer has made a confident job of stepping in

for Vertonghen. Yes, it's Eriksen for Spurs. Oh, and Gomes did so well

and Alli couldn't turn it in on the far post. Eriksen is looking up,

wondering who is around. Should he shoot? Whatever he does, Gomes is

equal to it. Another one of those reaction saves. Is there a chance

here for Troy Deeney? The best moment of the match for Watford

potentially, going to Ighalo and he had his shot blocked by Dier. It was

the long ball but Watford have used so well, Deeney was strong enough to

hold off the opposition but then again, Ighalo couldn't finish it.

Alderweireld looking for Son. Oh, backheel. Gomes turning another one

away. Eriksen. No late mistakes now, that's what Tottenham will be

hoping. Kieran Trippier, with five minutes to go. His last goal was for

Burnley against Huddersfield a couple of years ago, if I'm not

mistaken. Tottenham have been made to work hard for this. As much

possession as you could wish for. Gomes has been a stumbling block and

Watford have kept their shape. Ben Davies making another prodigious run

from left-back and nearly getting on the end of something in the penalty

area. And Spurs go second! Kieran

Trippier, the most unlikely of goal-scorers perhaps. His first for

Spurs on 64 minutes and despite the heroics of their former goalkeeper,

Tottenham are on the march. It feels amazing. I don't see myself

up there very much, glad to get the goal but most importantly, the three

points. They made very good pressure, a lot of the ball, so it

was difficult, always defending. It isn't in the plan we have. We

recognise that they have a good team and they deserved to win today. Are

your hands hurting, you made a lot of saves today? I expected to do so

because they are a good team and they have shown this during the

season. We tried our best. After the game I spoke to Mauricio Pochettino.

Congratulations on another victory, four wins in a row for Tottenham and

you have some momentum? Thank you, I think the performance was bullet. --

brilliant. We are very proud of our players. Today was a great game. 1-0

is not a reflection of what happened in the game, maybe we deserved more.

In football sometimes you need to be more clinical but I'm very happy and

pleased. How far do you think you can go? Is

it the title you want, or Champions League qualification? I think we

need to be calm. It's true we are in a very good position, five points is

the gap with Leicester. But I think the philosophy from the beginning of

the season is go step-by-step. I think we need to improve a lot. We

are still very young and it's important to keep going, work hard,

try to prove every training session and to take every game and every

competition and be ready for competing. You said this week

because of the new stadium etc it's going to be a tough time for

Tottenham in terms of spending. Do you think over all your squad is

strong enough to compete now? Well, I think maybe the media

misunderstood me. It's a clear philosophy to believe in the

younger, but for me it's very important our senior players, like

Hugo Lloris, Mousa Dembele, Kyle Walker, Danny Rose, that I think the

balances the most important thing. It's not only, but maybe because my

English is not like your Spanish, maybe they misunderstand me, but I

think we've take this loss of the and it's important now to deliver

it. GARY SPEAKS SPANISH. I said his Spanish is getting better every

week! Apologist for the! Solid, impressive, tactically astute, not

necessarily words we automatically associate with teams with Tottenham,

but they are looking good and particularly you like them in the

wide areas. I do, they dominated the game today, Gary. A big part of

their game is now with the way they play is pushing the full-backs

forward. Ben Davis and Trippier, Ben Davis here, a little give and go.

They now have the freedom from Pochettino to do that, to get up

front, to go and do your stuff and they did it, they did it very well.

It's a theme of their play, we see long balls from the centre halves to

the players out wide. Again, Davis looking to get forward -- Davies

looking to get forward, thwarted by Gomes. Trippier, that's why they can

do it, they have three centre halves, two centre halves, but they

also have Dier who is a centre-half party plays midfield. When the

full-backs go forward he sits back there and they did it brilliantly

today and it caused them all sorts of problems, giving them the whips

again. It's a brilliant ball in, a long ball over the top into Son

Heung-min but look it was coming into the picture again. Not a great

ball across this time and the last one is where the goal comes from. I

mentioned hunger and desire to get there with Man City players, but

look at the way he does that, Trippier, to get forward, to want to

be involved. He's not happy sitting in his box or on the halfway line.

There is the three centre halves giving the protection if they lose

the ball. Having said all that, what an unbelievable ball that is across

from Dele Alli, with the outside of the right foot, he puts it on a

plate Trippier, but he is there and is allowed to be because Pochettino

risk having them the freedom to go and do their stuff and that is the

second most touches in the game, 90, dominant and the other half. Played

a massive part in their win today. He has done really well. A bit of

skill to look for. It's not often you see three nutmegs in a matter of

seconds by one player, Capoue, quite startling. Up one of their

ex-players, he knows in really well. There is one, he gets another one

and passes it through his legs here. Really, really good stuff. I have to

say, we see it again here, he knows him. Hang on a minute, you have some

of that, you are getting in the way as well! It was a 1-0 domination,

Spurs, 26 shots, 15 corners compared to one. People say about typical

Spurs, I'm not feeling that at the moment. 150-1, Leicester 5000-1, the

odds have changed dramatically. Brilliant, superb. Anything can

happen! Two down, and the mathematicians

amongst you will know there's six MUSIC: "Who Am I" by Katy B,

Craig David and Major Lazer. Next to Anfield, and despite shoots

of recovery for Liverpool they actually averaged more points

per game under Brendan Rodgers Sunderland were the visitors today,

hoping to continue their run of scoring in each of the last

seven away games.