English Premier League: Leicester City go top with win over Sunderland

VIDEO: Leicester City finished the Premier League’s opening day atop the table after scoring four goals at home to a hapless Sunderland.

Leicester City's English striker Jamie Vardy (2nd R) celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Sunderland at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on August 8, 2015. AFP PHOTO / BEN STANSALL RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

LEICESTER City finished the Premier League’s opening day atop the table after a 4-2 victory over Sunderland at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

There were also wins for Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa, but Leicester’s four-goal tally left them at the summit, four months on from the late-season surge that spared them from relegation.

Jamie Vardy, who made his England debut in a 0-0 draw against the Republic of Ireland in May, opened the scoring for the hosts with a deft header from Marc Albrighton’s cross after just 11 minutes.

WRAP: Every result from day one of the English Premier League

The Foxes then extended their advantage with the first of two goals from winger Riyad Mahrez.

The 24-year-old, who signed from French club Le Havre in 2014, headed home the second goal for new manager Claudio Ranieri after more good work from Albrighton to hand the home side a 2-0 lead after just 18 minutes.

Dutchman Dick Advocaat, the Sunderland manager who saved the team from relegation last season, then looked on in horror as his team fell further behind following a soft penalty.

Lee Cattermole was the culprit as he blatantly tripped Mahrez and the Algerian cooly dusted himself down before slotting home the penalty past Sunderland’s Romanian goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon in the 25th minute.

Riyad Mahrez celebrates scoring Leicester's second goal against Sunderland.

Former England international Jermain Defoe gave Sunderland hope by pulling it back to 3-1, but the excellent Albrighton grabbed the goal his superb performance deserved on 66 minutes to put the result beyond doubt.

Scotland’s Steven Fletcher notched a consolation goal for Sunderland with 19 minutes left, but it was in vain.

Italian Ranieri, who was a surprise choice to take over at Leicester following a career that has included spells at Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Juventus and Monaco, could not have hoped for a better start by his side, who dominated for long spells and never looked in danger of losing the match.

Lee Cattermole of Sunderland shows his frustration against Leicester.

For Advocaat, it was a chastening start to his first full season in charge after he overturned his original decision to retire at the end of last season in order to stay on as manager at the Stadium of Light.

Originally published as English Premier League: Leicester City go top with win over Sunderland