EPL wrap: Leicester City honours owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha after helicopter death as Tottenham scrapes through again

LEICESTER City players and fans paid a fond tribute to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha before their first home game since the club owner’s death in a helicopter crash. PREMIER LEAGUE SCORES, STATS, STANDINGS

Apichet Srivaddhanaprabha, the son of Leicester City’s Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha leads tributes to his late father at King Power Stadium. Picture: AFP

LEICESTER City players and fans paid a fond tribute to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha before the team were held to a 0-0 draw in the Premier League by Burnley in their first home game since the club owner’s death in a helicopter crash.

Leicester supporters and squad members, including injured England defender Harry Maguire, led a march from the city centre to the stadium where hundreds of team shirts, flags and banners were laid around the pitch.

HONOURED: LEICESTER STATUE FOR LATE OWNER

Apichet Srivaddhanaprabha, the son of Leicester City’s Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha leads tributes to his late father at King Power Stadium. Picture: AFP

Vichai’s son Aiyawatt and former Leicester managers Claudio Ranieri and Nigel Pearson were among the crowd, who observed a two-minute silence before kick off.

After the match, Leicester midfielder Marc Albrighton said it had been one of the most difficult games of his career.

People gather in Jubilee Square to take part in what is being dubbed as the ‘Vichai March’ or the ‘5000-1’ march towards the King Power Stadium. Picture: AFP

Leicester manager Claude Puel was proud of his players and praised their professionalism in handling the occasion.

“We were unlucky but I was proud of the players’ performance because they gave their best in this situation,” said Puel.

The stunning scene inside King Power Stadium before the match. Picture: Getty Images

Floral tributes to those who lost their lives in the Leicester City helicopter crash outside King Power Stadium. Picture: AP

Fans hold scarfs for Leicester City Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha during the match. Picture: AP

Leicester midfielder Marc Albrighton said it had been one of the most difficult games of his career. Picture: AP

SPURS DO ENOUGH — JUST

TOTTENHAM beat Crystal Palace 1-0 for its latest narrow victory in the English Premier League and moved tied for points with second-place Chelsea and Liverpool overnight.

A 66th-minute goal by 20-year-old centre back Juan Foyth was enough to earn Spurs a ninth win in 12 league games this season. Six of those wins have come by a one-goal margin.

Tottenham defender Juan Foyth had an uncomfortable English Premier League debut last weekend.

His second game in England’s top flight went a whole lot better. The 20-year-old Argentine centre back scored a second-halfgoal

Tottenham defender Juan Foyth celebrates what would end up being the match-winning goal. Picture: Getty Images

Tottenham is managing to stay firmly in contention for the title race despite few of its top players performing at their best — gun striker Harry Kane had a quiet game at a rain-soaked Selhurst Park — and a dreadful run of injuries.

Nine of the 12 Tottenham players who featured at the World Cup in Russia have been injured at some stage this season.

The latest to join the list were Colombia centre back Davinson Sanchez, who injured his hamstring in the Champions League midweek, and England right back Kieran Trippier, who hobbled off injured midway through the first half against Palace.

A week ago, Foyth made his first appearance in the Premier League and gave away two penalties in Tottenham’s 3-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Foyth heads the ball home for the match’s only goal. Picture: AFP

Signed from Estudiantes in the 2017 off-season, Foyth is only getting a run in the first team only because of the injury crisis.

Without even hitting its stride this season, Tottenham is firmly in contention in the title race.

Five of its last six wins in the league have been by a one-goal margin, with the only league defeat since mid-September coming at home to leader Manchester City.

Palace was without star forward Wilfried Zaha because of a minor hamstring injury, so it was no surprise it lost.

The south London team last won in the league without Zaha at Sunderland in September 2016.

In other matches, Newcastle climbed out of the relegation zone after beating Bournemouth 2-1 for a second straight win.

Cardiff also won 2-1, at home to 10-man Brighton.

There were draws in Huddersfield-West Ham, Southampton-Watford and Leicester-Burnley.

At Leicester, fans, players and staff honoured its late owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was killed with four others in a helicopter crash two weeks ago.

OVERNIGHT RESULTS

Crystal Palace 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Foyth 66)

Huddersfield Town 1 (Pritchard 6) West Ham 1 (Anderson 74)

Leicester City 0 Burnley 0

Southampton 1 (Gabbiadini 20) Watford 1 (Holebas 82)

Newcastle United 2 (Rondon 7, 40) Bournemouth 1 (Lerma 45+6)

Cardiff City 2 (Paterson 28, Bamba 90) Brighton & Hove Albion1 (Dunk 6) Send-offs: (Stephens 34 — Brighton & Hove Albion)

PLAYING TONIGHT/TOMORROW MORNING

Liverpool v Fulham (SUN 2300 AEDT) Chelsea v Everton (MON 0115 AEDT) Arsenal v Wolves (MON 0330 AEDT) ManchesterCity v Manchester United (MON 0330 AEDT)

STANDINGS

Manchester City 29

Chelsea 27

Liverpool 27

Tottenham Hotspur 27

Arsenal 23

Bournemouth 20

Watford 20

Manchester United 20

Everton 18

Leicester City 17

Wolves 15

Brighton & Hove Albion 14

West Ham 12

Newcastle United 9

Burnley 9

Crystal Palace 8

Southampton 8

Cardiff City 8

Huddersfield Town 7

Fulham 5

LEADING GOALSCORERS

7: Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

6: CallumWilson (Bournemouth), Glenn Murray (Brighton & Hove Albion), Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Richarlison (Everton), Sadio Mane (Liverpool) 5: Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal), Alvaro Morata (Chelsea), Anthony Martial (Manchester United), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton), Marko Arnautovic (West Ham), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Roberto Pereyra (Watford)

***Courtesy AAP