Leeds United 1 Leicester City 4: Fast Foxes survive Whites fightback to race into second

United trailed 2-0 at the interval and threatened a second-half fightback after Stuart Dallas netted three minutes after the break but Foxes substitutes James Maddison and Cengiz Under then combined to set up Vardy to put the Foxes out of sight.

The victory sent an impressive Leicester side second and behind only champions Liverpool with United staying 12th with ten points from seven games.

Leeds had a glorious chance to open the scoring in the second minute when Patrick Bamford was presented with a free header six yards out that he placed straight at Kasper Schmeichel.

And 17 seconds later Leicester went in front when a short back pass from Robin Koch was intercepted by Vardy who squared the ball to Barnes for a tap in.

A superb reverse pass from Vardy then played in Barnes five minutes later but the Foxes winger ran the ball too close to Illan Meslier who managed to force a corner.

After more strong work from Vardy, Barnes then let fly from the edge of the area with an effort that was heading for the top right corner until Meslier tipped the ball wide.

Helder Costa then teed up Bamford who fired well wide with his right foot but Leicester were causing mayhem and the Foxes doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Vardy beat Koch to a Marc Allbrighton cross and whilst Meslier saved, Tielemans was on hand to slam home the rebound.

Meslier then almost dropped an Allbrighton cross into his own net and after Helder Costa turned into trouble, Luke Thomas fired in another effort from the edge of the box that Meslier saved.

But United should have pulled a goal back one minute later when Luke Ayling's clever chip played in Bamford but Schmeichel reacted quickly to his first touch to smother the ball in the middle of the box.

But Leeds ended the half on top with Pablo Hernandez seeing a shot blocked before Leicester survived a potentially dangerous free-kick swung in by Mateusz Klich in first-half stoppage time.

Ian Poveda then replaced Jamie Shackleton during the interval and three minutes after the restart Leeds pulled a goalback when a Stuart Dallas cross from a short corner sailed through the Foxes box and past Schmeichel.

Hernandez and Jack Harrison then almost combined to fashion a chance for an equaliser with Leicester now on the back foot.

And Hernandez was then only denied by the frame of the goal in the 55th minute after a sublime piece of control and skill was followed by a curled shot that clipped the upright.

Leeds had 76 per cent of second half possession 11 minutes into the second half and a drive from Klich from long range was then safely held by Schmeichel.

Tyler Roberts was then introduced for Hernandez who was clearly unhappy to be taken off and Bamford then almost beat the onrushing Schmeichel at the edge of the box.

But the pace of Foxes substitute Under then led to Leicester restoring a two-goal cushion as Under raced away to latch on to fellow substitute Maddison's through ball before squaring to Vardy who finished with a tap in.

Leeds looked to respond once more but Vardy was then played clean through in the 84th minute only to chip his finish wide.

And Leicester ultimately bagged a fourth in the 91st minute as Klich was penalised for fouling Maddison just inside the box and Tielemans stepped up to convert the spot kick.

Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Dallas (Alioski 81), Shackleton (Poveda 46), Klich, Costa, Harrison, Hernandez (Roberts 67), Bamford. Subs not used: Casilla, Casey, Struijk, Davis.

Leicester City: Schmeichel, Albrighton, Fofana, Fuchs, Thomas, Justin, Mendy, Praet (Maddison 63), Tielemans, Barnes (Under 71), Vardy (Morgan 86). Subs not used: Ward, Choudhury, Pérez, Iheanacho.

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Thank you Laura Collins