Solid defence keeps Leicester on track

By Steve Tongue LONDON (Reuters) – Striker Jamie Vardy may have returned to the headlines as Leicester City closed in on the Premier League title on Sunday but the contribution of the team’s defenders cannot be ignored. In the 2-0 win at Sunderland, Vardy became the club’s first player to reach 20 top-flight league goals since Gary Lineker’s 24 in 1984-5. Just as significant, however, was the clean sheet kept by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and those in front of him. It was the fifth in a row, the previous four all having earned vital points in 1-0 wins. Earlier in the season, Claudio Ranieri’s side were conceding goals regularly – including five in a home defeat to Arsenal – but since the experienced Italian introduced Danny Simpson and Austrian Christian Fuchs at centre-back, there have been 13 clean sheets in 22 games. Thanks to that pairing and centre-backs Robert Huth and Wes Morgan, Schmeichel’s fine first-half save from Fabio Borini at Sunderland was the only time he was tested. It is now 490 minutes since West Bromwich Albion became the last team to breach the armour, in a shock 2-2 draw with Leicester on March 1. West Ham United, in sixth place and in fine form, are the next team to try and find an opening when they visit the King Power Stadium next Sunday. Swansea City, in 12th, follow them, with Leicester likely to be in a position to seal the title. Their remaining games after that are away games against Manchester United and Ranieri’s old club Chelsea, either side of a home game with Everton. The next milestone, not yet mathematically certain, will be a Champions League place for the first time. Leicester are guaranteed a top-four finish in the Premier League, but if Liverpool and Manchester City finish fifth or lower while winning the Europa League and Champions League respectively, then only the top three would qualify for Europe’s elite competition. Leicester have only played in European competition three times, most recently in the 2000-1 UEFA Cup. “The fans must keep dreaming, but we must stay focused and concentrated,” Ranieri told the BBC on Sunday. “Now we have two difficult games at home. The Champions League is not in our pocket, but it is on the table and we have to accept it. We haven’t achieved anything yet.” (Editing by Toby Davis)