Manager Ruud van Nistelrooy gave Leicester City’s senior striker Jamie Vardy a lot of credit after Vardy’s goal helped the team win 2-1 against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Bilal El Khannouss scored the game-winning goal four minutes after Vardy, 38, equalised from close range just after halftime.
After seven straight league losses, Van Nistelrooy called the victory “massive,” as his team moved up into 17th position and out of the Premier League’s relegation zone.
“He is a leader by example,” Van Nistelrooy said of Vardy who has scored seven goals and has three assists in the league this season.
“He is still producing.
“The respect from the team and the staff at this club for him is huge. He is also delivering.”
Richarlison’s header in the 33rd minute put Leicester down, but they rallied after the break.
“The performance was excellent, the shape and the way the players were defending together,” Dutchman Van Nistelrooy, who enjoyed only his second league win in charge, said.
“We went behind but the way the team reacted to going 1-0 down, they took the ball and started to play.
“At halftime they were calm and the way they came out of the dressing room was tremendous. I think that won us the game in the end.
“The effort, the dedication, the blocks and the clearances, the tactics we made it was a joy to watch. It got us a massive three points away from home.”
Vardy, the only player still alive from Leicester’s Premier League-winning team from 2015–16, ran himself into the ground in north London and was a continual threat to Tottenham’s defence.
He struck a confident note, and his attitude will be essential if Leicester is to avoid difficulties.
“We have all stuck together as a team. We knuckled down, stayed together and got the big win,” he said.
“100% back every single one of them (to get out of trouble). We all know what is at stake.
” We want to play nice football but that was three points in the right direction and hopefully the start of a run.”
