Jamie Vardy insists he is injury-free and ready to keep Leicester’s title charge on track.
The striker netted twice – including a goal-of-the-season contender 30-yard volley – in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Liverpool, which kept the Foxes top of the Premier League.
Vardy, who is talking to the club about a contract extension until 2019, had a seven-game goalless streak after undergoing a groin operation last month, but believes he is now back to full fitness.
“I’ve got no problems and, as each game comes, we’re going to get better and stronger and hopefully I’ll get the season out with no more niggles,” he said, ahead of Leicester’s crucial trip to second-placed Manchester City on Saturday.
Boss Claudio Ranieri added: “Now it is one month since he restarted training (after his operation). Before he didn’t train well and played without training. It is not easy. He continued to score but slowly he started to go down.”
But Ranieri remained coy about Vardy’s contract talks, joking: “I don’t know this. I’m just head coach. I’m sorry – Pinnochio.”
Vardy has 18 goals this season following his brace, which came in front of England boss Roy Hodgson, and ranks his opener – when he ran onto Riyad Mahrez’s pass to beat Simon Mignolet with a stunning volley – as his best for the Foxes.
“It’s probably my best, no shadow of a doubt. I just hope there’s more of them to come,” he said. “When I’ve been put through, I’m wide but haven’t got any support. I’ve hit it hoping he is off his line a bit. Luckily he was and it’s nestled into the top corner.”
Mignolet was left with no chance by Vardy who has spearheaded Leicester’s title charge. He has three goals in his last two outings after ending a seven-game goalless streak and Marc Albrighton backed him to continue.
He said: “There is no evidence to say he won’t keep going. He is confident at the minute, that is proved in the way he took the shot on. A player low on confidence is not even attempting to hit that. That’s only good for the team.
“To be in the stadium and witness that is something special. It’ll probably go down as one of the Premier League’s all-time great goals. It will be on Christmas DVDs in the future, I wouldn’t be surprised. When he came in the dressing room everyone gave him a round of applause, ‘well done, you won us the game. Cheers’.”
But Albrighton refused to get carried away, despite the fact the Foxes could be six points clear of Manchester City if they win at the Etihad on Saturday. He added: “It’s fantastic but we need to win there don’t we. It’s going to be another difficult game, if we can just keep this mentality going each game, confident and looking forward and enjoying, we should be fine.”
