Arsenal 2 Leicester 1 reaction: Result will galvanise Premier League title rivals

How Leicester react remains to be seen following late Emirates heartbreak

Claudio Ranieri with Arsene Wenger (GETTY IMAGES)

The light at the end of the tunnel, Leicester City fans will tell you, often transpires to be an onrushing train. This set-back, orchestrated by the eclectic talents of Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck, doesn’t change their upwards trajectory, for they still lead the Premier League rat race, but it will hurt nonetheless. Whether the anguish pushes Claudio Ranieri’s men onwards or paralyses them is a subplot which could decide the outcome of this wonderfully erratic campaign.

The dim glow at the end of that tunnel, however, in these most peculiar of times, doesn’t carry dread or despair like it once did. It’s a beacon, a glisten of the Premier League trophy, calling Leicester toward one of the greatest sporting fables of all time.

“If I think about the match, I am very, very angry,” the usually jovial Ranieri said at the outset of his post-match media briefing. But it didn’t take long for the Italian, who plans on spending the next week recuperating from this defeat in Rome, to revert to type.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We continue to fight. I have a dream, but I don’t tell you my dream.” Despite the Leicester manager’s claims to the contrary, the mental battle is lost for now. This gargantuan Arsenal win will surely galvanise their title rivals regardless of what it does in the Foxes’ dressing room. The victory at Manchester City last weekend changed everything, hearts and minds were claimed across the world.

Earlier, on the train ride down to London, with most Leicester loyalists taking on their breakfast in liquid form, the disbelief of the previous Saturday was still tangible. “I’ll take a point right now,” one exclaimed, beverage in hand.

First-class tickets were going cheap for those who ordered early enough, but complimentary tea and coffee were shunned out of hand. St Valentine’s day was passing them by - today was solely about their first love. The first cut may well be the deepest, it usually is, but battle-scared Leicester fans wouldn’t change it for the world. These intrepid lot have been to Yeovil’s Huish Park or Cheltenham’s Whaddon Road in recent halcyon times meaning jaunts to the Emirates remain a day out to be savoured.

So much so that any talk of a walk-out protest, in objection to Sky Sports’ decision to move the fixture with just three weeks of notice, came to nothing. It wasn’t worth it. Every match, regardless of opposition, takes on added importance now for Leicester. As soon as the full-time whistle blew in London, all eyes turned to Norwich City at home on February 27: the first of 12 season-defining fixtures. The East Midlands outfit have perhaps never played under such a spotlight, in a match with such undeniable magnitude. But they dealt with it admirably for large periods, even after Danny Simpson’s 54th minute dismissal left them in a tactical and psychological quandary.

This was a full-blooded epic with both sides throwing themselves into every 50-50 challenge with the sort of relish usually reserved for a final day title or relegation decider. Make no mistake: this was a battle of wills more than it was a football match.

Rarely has the Emirates crowd been so indignant as when Jamie Vardy was bundled down in the penalty area just seconds after Wes Morgan went in clumsily on Mesut Ozil at the other end. It was pandemonium in the stands as the England man put Leicester ahead from the spot - just before the break - widening the gap at the top to eight points. Little did they realise their rage was causing a shuddersome vacuum of injustice to encircle the Emirates. It was beginning to feel like one of those days for the hosts.

The pendulum swung violently again when Simpson was given his marching orders, for two bookable offences in quick succession, providing the spark for Arsenal to launch an assault on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal. It was simply a matter of time until someone, anyone, smashed home to cancel the arrears. Walcott, who tormented Leicester at the King Power Stadium earlier this season, was that man but an equaliser was never going to be enough to satisfy the expectant home faithful.

Leicester have made a mockery of the establishment this season but this was Arsenal’s chance to give them a bloody nose. This was becoming personal. More about pride than points. Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal boss, prowled the touchline with disgust as his troops conspired to squander every opportunity afforded to them by an increasingly tired and weary Foxes defence. The famous clock ticked ominously but 36 minutes, plus another four of added time, just proved too much for ten-man Leicester to handle. Heroic displays by Danny Drinkwater and N'Golo Kanté went without their due rewards. Hearts and minds mean little in such circumstances.

Like any classic tale, there was a late twist. Step forward Welbeck, the capital club’s forgotten man. Not since the Champions League success over Bayern Munich in October has the Emirates exploded with such boundless jubilation. The exhausted, but victorious, Arsenal players dived into the stands to celebrate as their Leicester counterparts collapsed in on themselves. This was, as it always was likely to be, an enormous day in the title race. The hosts were Herculean to see it through but Leicester are still top. “Eight points is three games,” Wenger said at full-time. “You have to win three and they have to lose three. A loss today would have been massive.”