Ranieri marvels at Vardy streak

Claudio Ranieri was left marvelling at Jamie Vardy’s achievement of becoming only the fifth Englishman to score in seven successive Premier League matches with his winner in Leicester City’s 1-0 defeat of Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The England international has been in remarkable form this season and tops the goal-scoring chart with a tally of 10 thanks to his winner at the King Power Stadium, an effort which saw him joined an illustrious list. 

Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Mark Stein and Daniel Sturridge are the only other English players to score in seven consecutive top-flight games, with the latter leading the way on eight.

The match also saw Leicester pick up their first clean sheet of the season, a feat which Ranieri had previously promised would be rewarded with pizza and the Italian suggested Vardy could be in for a bigger share.

“It is a big achievement for him, a big achievement for us, for everybody,” Ranieri told reporters. “It is also big for our fans, who will enjoy that a lot. Maybe he will get one and a half [slices].

“It is difficult to say why it [such goal-scoring streaks] happens sometimes. But often there is a reason for a record. 

“It is good, he is in great form, he believes that. It is important now but it is important later that if he doesn’t score, he remains calm and continues to fight as he did.

“He believes every ball can be good. Every ball could suddenly create something good. It’s important for him, important for all his team-mates and is dangerous for opponents.”

Ranieri riled Alan Pardew for apparently “goading” the Palace players by picking the ball up on the touchline and then he neglected to shake his counterpart’s hand at full-time.

The former Chelsea tactician was apologetic in his media conference for seemingly forgetting to shake hands, but he was adamant that he did no wrong with regards to the perceived goading.

“It was our throw-in,” Ranieri said. “I took the ball and I awaited my players.

“[But] it’s true [that he did not shake hands]. I was just so glad to go and shake the hands of my players. I am so sorry to him. 

“I think now he will come to my dressing room for some wine. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was too concentrated with my players.”