Leicester deliver blow to Arsenal’s top-four hopes

LEICESTER: Arsenal’s Champions League hopes suffered a serious blow after the 10-man Gunners went down to a disastrous 3-0 defeat at Leicester.

Unai Emery’s side slipped to a third straight loss and missed the chance to climb back into the Premier League’s top four. Jamie Vardy continued his hot streak against the Gunners with his late brace making it eight goals in his last nine games against them.

Youri Tielemans opened the scoring after Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ first-half dismissal. Arsenal, who remain fifth, were second best all afternoon and needed Bernd Leno to keep the score down with fine saves from Vardy and Ricardo Pereira. Victory also allowed Brendan Rodgers revenge over Unai Emery after Emery’s Paris St Germain beat Rodgers’ Celtic 7-1 and 5-0 in the Champions League last season. Impressive Leicester climbed to eighth, three points behind Wolves in seventh which may still give them a route to Europe.

From the start the hosts dominated as Jonny Evans headed straight at Leno before James Maddison’s effort was deflected wide inside the first 10 minutes. But Vardy netted with four minutes left when he latched onto Schmeichel’s long free-kick and headed in from six yards after his lob over Leno hit the bar. The former England striker then made it 3-0 with the final kick, tapping in Pereira’s cross from close range.