LONDON: No Jamie Vardy, no problem for Leicester.
Even with their top-scorer suspended, the Premier League leaders still overpowered Swansea 4-0 on Sunday to move another step closer to collecting the trophy.
The only team, which can now catch Leicester is Tottenham, but the pre-season 5,000-1 outsiders have their destiny in their own hands. Tottenham is eight points behind Leicester in second place going into Monday’s game against West Bromwich Albion.
Regardless of what Tottenham does in its last four games, Leicester will be guaranteed the top flight for the first time in its 132-year history by collecting five points from its remaining three fixtures.
Leicester dismantled Swansea with its biggest win in three months. Vardy’s replacement, Leonardo Ulloa, scored twice after Riyad Mahrez’s opener and Marc Albrighton completed the rout.
The attacking threat provided without 22-goal Vardy will have reassured the Foxes they can cope without him for longer. The England striker is waiting to discover from the English Football Association if his one-match ban will be extended over the angry reaction to being sent off in last weekend’s draw against West Ham.
By extending its unbeaten run to nine games, Leicester officially knocked Manchester City and Arsenal out of the title race a year after the central England team’s priority was fighting relegation.
Fourth-place Arsenal, which has gone 12 years without winning the league, was held 0-0 by Sunderland in Sunday’s other game. It was a valuable point for Sunderland, which climbed out of the relegation zone by going above Norwich on goal difference.
Leicester’s latest stunning result overshadowed Sunday’s second FA Cup semifinal at Wembley Stadium.