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Leicester stay on track for title

Cape Town - Leicester City wrestled back control of the Premier League title race with a 1-0 win over Watford at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

The Foxes took advantage of the earlier draw between title rivals Tottenham and Arsenal, with a second half Riyad Mahrez goal enough to send them five points clear at the top.

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Claudio Ranieri's men were rarely troubled at the back despite some late pressure, although a potential hamstring injury to Mahrez did take a little of the gloss of what could be an important victory.

Leicester, who had been boosted by earlier results, looked to start brightly but it was the hosts who had the first meaningful attempt on goal when Nathan Ake directed a header onto Kasper Schmeichel's crossbar.

From then on, though, Leicester took control and Jamie Vardy came close to opening the scoring three minutes later with a lobbed effort, but it sailed a couple of yards wide of goal.

Vardy had another sight of goal ten minutes later after being fed by a Mahrez pass, but with the goal gaping he could only drill his shot wide.

Watford again had the best of the second half exchanges, and Mario Suarez's deflected effort forced Schmeichel into a fine save just minutes after the break.

However, Leicester, as so often has been the case this season, proved themselves able to find a goal at a key time in the game.

With the hour mark approaching, Mahrez controlled the ball on the edge of the area before lashing a left-footed strike into the top corner.

Half chances for both sides followed, with Robert Huth missing the best when he could only head an inviting free kick wide with twenty minutes remaining.

It did not prove crucial, though, and Leicester held on in relative comfort to take another step towards what would be the most unlikely of success stories.

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