EPL: Leicester City's Jamie Vardy creates history in draw against Man Utd; Man City reclaim top spot

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy made history on Saturday by scoring for the 11th Premier League match running in his side’s 1-1 draw at home to Manchester United. The England forward struck in the 24th minute, running onto Christian Fuchs’s pass and arrowing a shot past David de Gea to break a record he had previously shared with former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy. “I’m delighted to have got the goal,” Vardy, the league’s top scorer with 14 goals, told BBC Sport. “It’s a bit disappointing the way we conceded their goal because it could have been three points. “I’ve just been taking each game as it comes. The record was not in my mind. It would have affected my performance and the team’s, and that’s the last thing I wanted to do.” [caption id=“attachment_2525612” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Jamie Vardy of Leicester City set a new Premier League record. AFP[/caption] Van Nistelrooy, whose record had stood since 2003, was quick to congratulate Vardy, writing on Twitter: “Well done @vardy7! You’re number one now and you deserved it. #11inarow.” The record caps a remarkable rise for 28-year-old Vardy, who was playing non-league football in 2012 and had been playing in the seventh tier of English football as recently as 2010. “Jamie made the record, it is fantastic for us,” said Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri. “An incredible achievement. Five years ago he played in non-league. It is difficult to grow up so quickly and this fantastic man is not only our goalscorer, but he presses, he works hard, he is important.” While Vardy took the plaudits, Bastian Schweinsteiger’s 46th-minute header from a Daley Blind corner – his first United goal – earned the visitors a point that left them in third place, a point off the summit. “I am disappointed,” said United manager Louis van Gaal. “I have the feeling we could have won this match.” Leicester finished the day in second place, a point above United, with Manchester City going top on goal difference after overcoming Southampton 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium. Kevin De Bruyne scored for the first time in six games to put City ahead and went on to create goals for Fabian Delph and Aleksandar Kolarov, with Shane Long replying for Southampton. “I was very pleased with the team’s reaction,” said City manager Manuel Pellegrini, whose side were beaten by Liverpool and Juventus in their two previous games. “We were a little nervous until the third goal, but I’m happy with the performance and the result.” - Palace humble Newcastle -Sergio Aguero gave City’s fans concern when he hobbled off mid-way through the second half, but Pellegrini said that his substitution was merely “a precaution”. City were also able to welcome back David Silva after nine games out with an ankle injury. Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew oversaw a 5-1 victory for his side that sent his former employers Newcastle United into the relegation zone, increasing the pressure on his struggling successor Steve McClaren. Papiss Cisse put Newcastle ahead with a 10th-minute header, but Palace hit back through Wilfried Zaha and braces from Yannick Bolasie and James McArthur. “We have to bring the fans what they want and that is not it,” admitted McClaren. “We have 25 games to go (eds: 24), we are in a relegation fight, no doubt about that, but we have to work hard on the training field.” Bournemouth moved above Newcastle, but remain in the bottom three, after a thrilling finale at Dean Court saw them hit back twice to hold Everton to a 3-3 draw. After Ramiro Funes Mori and Romelu Lukaku put Everton in control, Bournemouth came back to level through a spectacular 25-yard strike by Adam Smith and an 87th-minute effort from Junior Stanislas. Ross Barkley looked to have given Everton victory when he restored their lead in the fifth minute of stoppage time, only for Stanislas to snatch an implausible equaliser with a cool header three minutes later. Sunderland climbed out of the relegation places at Newcastle’s expense with a 2-0 home win over Stoke City, Patrick van Aanholt and Duncan Watmore scoring late on after visiting captain Ryan Shawcross was sent off. Aston Villa remain bottom and are now seven points from safety after a 3-2 home defeat by Watford left new manager Remi Garde without a win in three matches. Villa captain Micah Richards cancelled out Odion Ighalo’s 17th-minute opener for Watford, but an Alan Hutton own goal and a Troy Deeney header gave Watford the points. Jordan Ayew netted a late consolation for Villa. AFP