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In the week Brendan Rodgers said Leicester were out of a No.1 striker Jamie Vardy let his boss know he was still the best in those areas.
Vardy turns 35 in January and Rodgers plans to split the load between his talisman, Kelechi Iheanacho and £ 27million by signing Patson Daka during the campaign – only for Vardy to prove once again that he will change course .
Vardy’s instinctive strike in the 41st minute was enough to give Leicester a victory on Matchday 1 against Wolves, whose flying winger Adama Traore missed two great chances and showed he had lost nothing of its sharpness. After scoring, Vardy turned his back on Wolves supporters and pointed the name to his shirt. It would have been as effective as a message to Rodgers.
Jamie Vardy leaves keeper Jose Sa stranded to score Leicester home winner against Wolves
The 34-year-old is in full voice after a goal that gave the Foxes a winning start to the campaign
Back in front of a full house for the first time since March 2020, the FA Cup holders were remarkable in the first half but uneven in the second, when they would have been punished by a more ruthless team. Rodgers insists he needs more players, but it’s his counterpart, new Wolves boss Bruno Lage, whose need is greater.
Lage took over from Nuno Espirito Santo this summer and his team had their moments, with Traore, Max Kilman and substitute Morgan Gibbs-White all coming closer as Leicester faltered in the later stages. Still, with three untested players on the bench, it’s no surprise that Lage wants up to four signings before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
Raul Jimenez was included in Wolves’ starting XI for a competitive game for the first time in nine months – a wonderful one considering the fractured skull he suffered at Arsenal nine months ago set his career high level in doubt.
The Mexican appeared sharp in the preseason and created a first chance when he returned to goal after Traore burst into the box, only for Luke Thomas – replacing Ryan Bertrand who has Covid-19 – to erase.
Adama Traore takes Wolves forward on a lucky day they could have gone ahead
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers offers behind-the-scenes advice to help Foxes win
Leicester did race in the first half, however. In the 10th minute, Vardy’s side shot was saved by new Wolves keeper Jose Sa and five minutes later Vardy had the ball in the net to be properly flagged offside.
Although Brendan Rodgers’ team were in the lead, they always had to be wary of Traore. In the 18th minute, the Spanish winger traveled 50 yards and found room for a shot that was blocked by Thomas.
Thomas then contributed at the other end with a delicious cross for Maddison, who couldn’t generate enough power to his header at the far post.
Wolves lost a glorious opportunity to take the lead nine minutes before the break when Daniel Amartey gave the ball to Joao Moutinho.
New Wolves coach Bruno Lage wants new signings for first Premier League season
Home fans have a lot to celebrate when their team has successfully opened their accounts
Traore immediately hit the accelerator and was found by Moutinho, barging in between Amartey and Caglar Soyuncu before sliding the ball a fraction wide when he really should have scored.
Vardy showed him exactly how it’s done five minutes later.
After Wolves defender Marcal made a mess to clear a throw-in, Ricardo Pereira made the ball sparkle at the near post where Vardy had drifted past Conor Coady to guide the ball past Sa with the outside of his left foot .
It was a master’s finish and celebrated with typical extravagance by Vardy, who couldn’t help but goad Wolves supporters.
Leicester could have scored two goals in stoppage time in the first half when Yuri Tielemans’ 30-yard strike drew a solid save from Sa.
Barcelona Wolves’ catch on loan Francisco Trincao had done little in the first half but was brighter at the start of the second.
After a failed move from Leicester, Trincao traded passes with Ruben Neves and drifted into a great position inside the box, where Soyuncu made a decisive block.
Wolves had more ball at the start of the second period, but that left them vulnerable on the counterattack, where Harvey Barnes – now playing alongside Vardy – was denied by last-minute challenges.
Traore had another chance when he brought in substitute Jannik Vestergaard, on his debut after a £ 15million transfer from Southampton last week, away from a bouncing ball before guiding his volley too close to Kasper Schmeichel.
Vardy was equally useless with 13 minutes to go, pulling tremendously aside after substitute Kelechi Iheanacho combined with excellent Tielemans to free him.
In the final minutes, Wolves defender Max Kilman came close twice, first with a superbly blocked shot by Amartey, then a free header he aimed too close to Schmeichel.
Then substitute Morgan Gibbs-White was denied a joint blocking effort from Thomas and Wilfred Ndidi as Leicester clung to it.
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