Vardy maintains hot streak to sink Palace

Vardy bagged his 10th league goal of the season in the second half at the King Power Stadium to give Leicester their fifth top-flight win of the campaign and cement their surprising climb to fifth place.

The 28-year-old is the Premier League's top scorer and his latest heroics continued a meteoric rise for the England international who was playing non-league football with Fleetwood only three years ago.

Now he is part of a select group of eight players, including Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Ian Wright and Ruud van Nistelrooy, to have netted in seven successive Premier League games

Buoyed by yet another dramatic comeback, a Vardy-inspired 2-2 draw at Southampton last weekend, Leicester made a vibrant start against Palace and almost took the lead on three occasions in the space of two minutes.

Marc Albrighton's scuffed shot bounced off a post with Palace goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey wrong-footed before Riyad Mahrez dragged the rebound wide.

Vardy then stole possession from Brede Hangeland by the corner flag and hooked over a cross that was cleared from under the bar by Palace defender Adrian Mariappa.

Palace had already won three away games in the Premier League this term, including a shock success at champions Chelsea.

Yet Pardew's team were well below their best and it took 37 minutes before Yohan Cabaye brought Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel into action.

Although Leicester lost some momentum early in the second half, Palace still couldn't stop Vardy extending his sublime streak in the 59th minute.

Hangeland gifted possession to Mahrez and he picked out Vardy, who dinked the ball over Hennessey and slotted into the empty net.

That was the signal for Palace to spring into life at last and Schmeichel was at full stretch to keep out a Patrick Bamford header before Scott Dann's header was nodded off the line by Christian Fuchs.

Palace's final fling came when they appealed for a penalty after Wilfried Zaha tumbled under a challenge from Fuchs, but referee Mike Dean booked the winger for diving.