Leciester City striker Jamie Vardy has had a Saturday afternoon in stark contrast to last week.
The England international scored a hat-tick last weekend as the struggling Premier League champions produced a performance straight out of last season by beating Manchester City 4-2, but there will be no celebrations this afternoon.
Claudio Ranieri’s side are in action at the Bet365 Stadium against Stoke City, but have been reduced to ten men as Vardy was sent off just before the half-hour mark for a reckless, if not entirely cynical, challenge on Stoke’s Mame Biram Diouf:
Jamie Vardy sent off today for Leicester. Is this a red? pic.twitter.com/KTPkWAG0yh
— Pulse2 Matchday:LIVE (@Pulse2MDL) December 17, 2016
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Vardy gave chase against Glen Johnson and when the ball fell to Diouf, the striker came flying in. It was certainly mistimed, but debate has already begun as to whether or not the foul was deserving of a dismissal.
Wow. Dion Dublin can’t believe that red card for Jamie Vardy #LCFC https://t.co/fT9ipwCSEu
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) December 17, 2016
Should @vardy7 have been sent off? Trio @chris_sutton73, @jamosfoundation and @RobbieSavage8 share different views. https://t.co/1hLb2O9rwn
— BT Sport Score (@btsportscore) December 17, 2016
.@HowardMWebb supports referee Craig Pawson and insists @vardy7 can have few excuses after seeing red. #BTSportScore https://t.co/Z1VMQW8fAY
— BT Sport Score (@btsportscore) December 17, 2016
Just to add to what will be undoubtedly be a major talking point later, the referee at the centre of this decision was Craig Pawson – the referee who made a number of controversial calls during Manchester United’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace in midweek (including failure to send Marcos Rojo off for what was probably a much worse tackle).
As if to compound Leicester’s misery further, Stoke have since surged into a 2-0 lead courtesy of a Bojan penalty and Joe Allen’s fifth league goal of the season.
2-0 it remains at half time, and the ten-man champions have it all to do it they want to salvage anything from this game.
Read More About: claudio ranieri, jamie vardy, leicester, mame biram diouf, Premier League, stoke
