Match ends, Leicester City 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Leicester City 1-2 Tottenham Hotspur
- From the section Premier League
- Foxes not won in 13 league matches
- Leicester five points adrift
- Tottenham win three in a row
- Harry Kane scores 15th of the season
Bottom-of-the-table Leicester City's winless Premier League run is now 13 matches after Christian Eriksen's goal gave Tottenham a third straight win.
Harry Kane's close-range finish from Nacer Chadli's cross put the visitors ahead in the first minute.
Leicester's Leonardo Ulloa headed against a post before levelling with a flick early in the second half.
Riyad Mahrez curled a free-kick against the bar for the hosts before Eriksen's 25-yard strike won it for Spurs.
The defeat increases the pressure on Leicester boss Nigel Pearson, whose side had a late penalty appeal turned down after a challenge by Jan Vertonghen on Jamie Vardy.
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Last season's Championship title-winners are now five points adrift at the basement.
Only two teams have escaped relegation after being bottom of the Premier League at Christmas, with Sunderland one of those 12 months ago.
Leicester's hopes of following suit were dented early on by Tottenham who, after a slow start to life under Mauricio Pochettino, have suffered just one defeat in their last six league matches.
Part of their upturn in fortunes has been down to 21-year-old Kane and he delivered again within a minute, scoring his 13th goal in the last 18 games.
The striker took advantage of Wes Morgan's slip inside the penalty area to collect Chadli's scuffed cross and drill low into the net.
In the 12 games since beating Manchester United in September, the Foxes's only points have been earned in draw with fellow strugglers Burnley and Sunderland.
But they caused Tottenham problems in an open first half.
With Pearson in the stands due to a one-match touchline ban, the hosts should have been level when the recalled Ulloa sent a free header against a post.
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Eight of Tottenham's last nine matches had produced three or more goals and they looked on course for a repeat soon after the break as Ulloa deftly flicked in Mahrez's low near-post cross.
That was only the hosts' fifth goal in 10-and-a-half games but they looked like adding to it as Mahrez's free-kick hit the bar.
Spurs were ahead again against the run of play when Eriksen's free-kick squeezed in past goalkeeper Ben Hamer at the near post.
And, despite heavy pressure, the Foxes were unable to level, with Morgan's close range effort pounced on by Hugo Lloris.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino: "We started very well, scored early and had many chances to score. After 20 minutes we lost control of the game.
"You can never relax in the Premier League. The level of our league is high and Leicester deserved more, because it didn't reflect their performance on the day."
Line-ups
Leicester
- 12Hamer
- 17Simpson
- 27Wasilewski
- 5Morgan
- 3KoncheskySubstituted forKnockaertat 83'minutes
- 26Mahrez
- 4Drinkwater
- 10KingSubstituted forJamesat 45'minutes
- 15Schlupp
- 35NugentSubstituted forVardyat 75'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 23Ulloa
Substitutes
- 2de Laet
- 7Hammond
- 8James
- 9Vardy
- 19Cambiasso
- 24Knockaert
- 31Smith
Tottenham
- 1Lloris
- 2WalkerBooked at 35mins
- 21Fazio
- 5VertonghenBooked at 82mins
- 3Rose
- 25StambouliSubstituted forMasonat 45'minutes
- 42Bentaleb
- 11Lamela
- 23Eriksen
- 22ChadliSubstituted forSoldadoat 63'minutes
- 18KaneSubstituted forPaulinhoat 84'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Chiriches
- 8Paulinho
- 9Soldado
- 13Vorm
- 17Townsend
- 33Davies
- 38Mason
- Referee:
- Neil Swarbrick
- Attendance:
- 31,870
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamTottenham
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away3
- Corners
- Home11
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away14
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2.
Attempt missed. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Paulinho.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur) because of an injury.
Booking
Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jamie Vardy (Leicester City).
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Hugo Lloris.
Attempt saved. Wes Morgan (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Matthew James with a cross.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Federico Fazio.
Foul by Roberto Soldado (Tottenham Hotspur).
Danny Simpson (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt blocked. Leonardo Ulloa (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Daniel Drinkwater with a cross.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Jan Vertonghen.
Substitution
Substitution, Tottenham Hotspur. Paulinho replaces Harry Kane.
Attempt missed. Daniel Drinkwater (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez with a cross following a set piece situation.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Anthony Knockaert replaces Paul Konchesky.
Booking
Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur).
Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Christian Eriksen.
Attempt missed. Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jeffrey Schlupp with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Jamie Vardy replaces David Nugent.
Attempt missed. Daniel Drinkwater (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
Foul by Ryan Mason (Tottenham Hotspur).
David Nugent (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Danny Rose.
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City).
Attempt blocked. Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Federico Fazio.
Goal!
Goal! Leicester City 1, Tottenham Hotspur 2. Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur) from a free kick with a right footed shot to the bottom left corner.
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Marcin Wasilewski (Leicester City).
Hand ball by Christian Eriksen (Tottenham Hotspur).
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Hugo Lloris.
Attempt saved. Jeffrey Schlupp (Leicester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by David Nugent.
Roberto Soldado (Tottenham Hotspur) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Marcin Wasilewski (Leicester City).