Football news - Leicester up to third with gritty Crystal Palace win

Leicester backed up their record win over Southampton by grinding out a 2-0 Premier League victory at Crystal Palace that takes them above Chelsea into third in the Premier League.

Palace were typically resilient in the first half but their resistance was broken in the 57th minute when Patrick van Aanholt failed to deal with a near-post corner and Caglar Soyuncu adjusted his body brilliantly to head home unmarked from six yards out.

Roy Hodgson threw on Christian Benteke as the home side went more direct in an effort to find an equaliser but Kasper Schmeichel was more troubled by the crowd behind him than the strikers in front of him.

And the Foxes made the points safe two minutes from time as Jamie Vardy and Demarai Gray combined brilliantly down the left-hand side before the former slotted home his 10th league goal of the season.

The first half was a drab affair, with Leicester enjoying plenty of possession, without being able to create that killer opening. Then, as the Palace defence switched off for the first time in the match, Soyuncu coasted in, unmarked, and headed his first goal in English football to break the deadlock.

Palace had to commit more bodies forward as a result, but they lacked any real cutting edge when it mattered.

Leicester, though, possess the Premier League’s top goalscorer, and he just needed that one opening late on to make sure of the win, on the end of a fine, flowing move, finished of with a arrowing left-footed strike into the net.

Ben Chilwell almost made it three late on, but was denied by the post, as a seventh win in eight in all competitions keeps the Foxes marching on.

Much has been made of the flying Foxes forward line this season, especially after their nine-goal showing at Southampton last week, but their defensive work deserves more recognition. They have the joint-best defensive record with Sheffield United so far, and that is after selling their star defender to Manchester United. Jonny Evans continues to show United what they are missing, Soyuncu was the match-winner and put in another solid defensive effort, while their full-backs are equally adept at attacking and defending. Wilfred Ndidi is arguably the league’s in-form defensive midfielder, too.

Ndidi is one of the unsung heroes of Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester revolution. This was another superb display from the ever-impressive midfielder. He won possession on two more occasions than anyone else on the pitch at Selhurst Park, while completing an incredible five more tackles than any team-mate. He is everywhere for the cause, showing incredible composure on and off the ball.

Crystal Palace: Guaita 6, Ward 6, Tomkins 6, Cahill 6, Van Aanholt 7, Milivojevic 6, Kouyate 6, McArthur 5, Schlupp 5, Zaha 6, Ayew 4. Subs: Meyer 6, Benteke 6, McCarthy 6.

Leicester: Schmeichel 7, Ricardo 7, Evans 8, Soyuncu 8, Chilwell 7, Ndidi 8, Tielemans 7, Barnes 6, Maddison 7, Perez 6, Vardy 6. Subs: Morgan 6, Gray 6.

18’ – SAVE! Perez is well placed to receive a square pass, but Jamie Vardy goes alone, shooting from a tight angle as Guaita produces another fine save.

51’ - CHANCE! Great football down the right from Kouyate, who cuts the ball across for Ayew, but Ayew goes at it with his wrong foot, and Leicester can clear. Zaha wins the ball back immediately, shoots for goal, but just wide.

57’ - GOOOOOOOAAAALLLLL!!! Crystal Palace 0-1 Leicester. Caglar Soyuncu is left all alone to head home the opener. Moments after Evans is denied by a fine save from Guaita, the corner comes in once more from Maddison, Soyuncu arrives, eight yards out, unmarked, and heads home his first goal in English football. Simple as that.

74’ - CLOSE! Chilwell's cross is headed clear only as far as Ndidi, but his first-time strike flies just wide.

88’ - GOOOOOOAAAALLLLLL!!! Crystal Palace 0-2 Leicester. Game, set and match Leicester as Vardy makes it two. Super, super goal. Great football involving Tielemans, Gray pulls it back for Vardy, who gets the ball onto his left before rifling a strike into the net. 10 now for the Premier League's top goalscorer.

90+2’ - POST! Ward is caught under the ball, Chilwell steals in, controls, fires for goal from a tight angle, but the ball comes out off the inside of the post, rolls along the line and Palace clear!

Jamie Vardy is the first player to reach 10 Premier League goals this season - this is the second time he's been the first player to reach 10 goals in a season, along with 2015/16, when Leicester went on to win the division.

Caglar Soyuncu is the second Turkish player to score in the Premier League for Leicester City, after Muzzy Izzet (33 goals between 1996 and 2004).

James Maddison is the first player to create seven chances in a single Premier League away game so far this season.