Leicester City vs Swansea City: Foxes counter-attack poetry in motion as Jamie Vardy returns to form

Leicester City 2 Swansea City 1: The England striker's 30th career Premier League goal sent the Foxes on their way to a first win of their title defence at a sodden King Power Stadium

Jamie Vardy got off the mark with his first goal of the new season (Getty)

There is a hypnotic quality to the Leicester City counter-attack which seems to anesthetize defenders and enthrall onlookers in equal measure. It was there again on Saturday as Jamie Vardy scored his 30th Premier League goal, a first of this fledgling campaign, to down Swansea and kick-start the champions’ title-defence.

Not even a thunderous summer downpour could rain on the Leicester roadrunner’s parade as he latched onto Danny Drinkwater’s pass to cheer a drenched Claudio Ranieri on the King Power side-lines. Francesco Guidolin, the Italian’s opposite number, could only tip his hat to the England striker’s eclectic talents after watching his side submit to their hosts in the East Midlands deluge.

“He is a complete player,” the 60-year-old said. “Not only fast but technically, tactically, he is a very, very important player.” Guidolin’s Swans were mere bystanders as Leicester secured a routine victory which should have carried a far less flattering scoreline. Wes Morgan’s second-half volley added to Leicester's lead which would later be narrowed by Leroy Fer’s 80th minute header.

Ranieri has been anxious to lessen the burden on Vardy’s shoulders this summer. A joyless opening weekend trip to Hull, followed thereafter by the stalemate with Arsenal a week ago, exposed Leicester’s reliance on the man who scored 24 of their 68 goals last term. The Foxes’ fortunes tend to fluctuate in symmetry with Vardy’s form in front of goal. Ahmed Musa, the Nigerian striker procured from CSKA Moscow for a club-record fee, was signed with that in mind.

“The goal-scorer always scores a goal,” Ranieri added at full-time. “Of course, some seasons a little more, some seasons a little less, but the goal-scorer never forgets the way. It is important for strikers to score a goal because it is their life. For me, the performance is important. He pressed a lot, he helped his team-mates, and I think the first-half was very, very outstanding for us.”

Riyad Mahrez is another cardinal outlet within Ranieri’s squad but the Algerian was denied by Lukasz Fabianski from 12 yards to mark his fourth such failure in a Leicester shirt. The PFA Player of the Year was stripped of penalty-taking duties last season after two misses in a month at the turn of the New Year.

Wes Morgan grabbed Leicester City's second goal (Getty)

“We complicated our life a little bit,” his manager said. “It was a difficult match, the rain was unbelievable. It was like water polo!

“I am very, very disappointed because he is a good lad. He and Vardy are our penalty scorers and he wanted to shoot. Now I speak with both the lads. If Riyad doesn’t feel [he should take them], then it’s Jamie next. I don’t know, let me think.”

Leicester City (4-4-1-1): Schmeichel (Zieler 57’), Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs, Mahrez, Amartey, Drinkwater, Albrighton (Musa 75’), Okazaki (Ulloa 80’), Vardy.

Subs not used: Hernandez, Chilwell, Gray, King.

Swansea City (4-5-1): Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Amat, Kinsgley, Cork (McBurnie 86’), Fer, Sigurdsson (Montero 59’), Barrow, Routledge (Ki Sung-Yueng 59’), Llorente.

Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Rangel, Van der Hoorn, Fulton.

Match rating: 7/10

Attendance: 31,727

Man of the match: Drinkwater

Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)