Manager Steve Cooper said Leicester City’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night was a promising start to their Premier League return after a year away but reminded his players that only wins will satisfy the club’s fan base.
Spurs dominated the first half and took the lead through Pedro Porro in the 29th minute before Leicester, Premier League champions in the 2015/16 season, equalised through 37-year-old Jamie Vardy’s header in the 57th minute. Brazilian Richarlison missed a golden opening to win it at the death and Spurs had to settle for one point in a match they really should have taken all three from.
Leicester were relegated to the Championship last season, bringing an end to their nine-year run in the English top flight. “There’s a lot going on behind the team which will help and all of those things going on, there were bound to be some nerves and anxiety,” Cooper said after the game.
“We had some really good moments against them in the second half. We became a really difficult opponent... It was a fairly positive start, but we want to be winning games. We’ve won many games over the years here and Leicester fans will be used to that, but we’ve got to recreate that. This is a Premier League football club, but we’ve got to become a Premier League team again - that’s the aim.”
Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was unhappy with the result. “Disappointing night for us,” he said. “First half excellent and controlled the game but wasteful in front of goal. Second half was the same. We started off well and once Leicester scored, the crowd lifted and we lost our composure. It was an issue we had last year as well, we need to keep working hard and be a bit more ruthless in front of goal. At times we made poor decisions. It’s not our football or effort. To get results you need to be a lot more ruthless in the final third. If we don’t we won’t get the rewards our football deserves.”
Spurs’ evening went from bad to worse when midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was carried off on a stretcher after an eight-minute stoppage in the second half, following a nasty collision. The Uruguayan was given oxygen as he was surrounded by medical staff but was later reported to be recovering.
A poor end to last season saw Spurs miss out on a top-four finish in Australian Postecoglou’s first year in charge. The north London club have invested in several new signings in the close season to challenge for the Champions League qualification places once again, with striker Dominic Solanke the biggest outlay. The former Bournemouth forward, playing Premier League football again after a year back in the second tier, should have opened his Spurs account in the first half at the King Power Stadium.
Some wayward finishing from Solanke ensured Leicester were let off the hook early on, before Porro arrived on the end of a James Maddison cross to guide home the opening goal. The second half appeared to be a matter of how many Spurs would score, with Solanke again guilty of wasting gilt-edged opportunities.
Vardy, however, made no mistake when presented with his chance to snatch a point for Leicester and the 37-year-old collected the eighth Premier League opening-day goal of his career, a tally bettered only by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
“I see age as just a number,” Vardy said. “As long as I keep looking after myself and my legs keep feeling great, then I will carry on for as long as is physically possible. “I wouldn’t say I am doing anything differently playing-wise. Probably adapted a bit by dropping in but I think the main thing is I am looking after myself recovery-wise to the maximum.”