Ranieri: We Deserved To Win

- The Foxes went 2-0 up thanks to goals from N’Golo Kanté and Jamie Vardy 

- Vardy became the first Englishman to score for nine consecutive Barclays Premier League matches 

- Leicester stay third in the table but move level on points with league leaders Manchester City 

After watching his side move level with the Barclays Premier League leaders thanks to a 2-1 triumph over Watford, Claudio Ranieri felt his in-form side were deserved winners. 

With the game tied at 0-0 after 45 minutes, the tireless N’Golo Kanté broke the deadlock when his effort snuck past Heurelho Gomes before Jamie Vardy added a second from the penalty spot. 

It marked the ninth consecutive game in which the England international had found the back of the net, after designated penalty taker Riyad Mahrez handed him the ball so he could move himself to within one of Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Premier League record. 

Watford’s Troy Deeney pulled one back from the penalty spot, but the Foxes were irresistible as they marched to a third straight league win to keep them in third, but level on points with leaders Manchester City. 

“It was a difficult match,” Ranieri reflected to Foxes Player HD. “We knew that. Watford play good football and it was difficult for us in the first half. We were very concentrated. In the second half we pushed a lot and I think we deserved to win. 

“I talked to my defenders about how important it was not to let the Watford strikers turn and to fight to close them very quickly. We did that very, very well.” 

Ranieri replaced Jeff Schlupp with Shinji Okazaki at half time in a re-shuffle, which seemed to work as Watford struggled to contain the hosts. 

The manager revealed: “I changed. I put Riyad on the right and Okazaki in the middle to get close to Jamie Vardy and we started to push up and we closed very well the defenders when they tried to build the action from the back.” 

And as for the two goalscorers, Raneri couldn’t have been happier for them both. Kanté’s goal was his first for the Club, while Vardy’s was his 12th in 12 Premier League games this season. 

The boss added: “Kanté is a hard worker and he plays for all his team mates He runs a lot. He’s good and I’m very happy with him. He was unlucky with the penalty but he was good. 

“He was struggling with the language [when he first arrived] but it was the same when I started at Chelsea. Football has only one language. 

“We have a very good spirit and a very good group. Jamie Vardy wanted to score and Riyad Mahrez gave the ball to him [to take the penalty]. It was good. 

“You know the strikers can take their moment. Sometimes for three, four, or five matches they don’t score then suddenly they start to score. For Jamie, he started scoring from the beginning, he’s in good condition and I hope he can continue. But despite City’s lofty league position, Ranieri is remaining consistent in his targets for the season. 

He said: “We don’t change our focus. The sooner we achieve 40 points, then we can speak about other things. For now we target 40 points.”