Jamie Vardy is leading the race for the Premier League Golden Boot, scoring his 16th of the season as Leicester City battered Dean Smith’s Villa.
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith paid tribute to ‘£70 million player’ Jamie Vardy after the Leicester City talisman scored twice in Saturday’s 4-1 thrashing at Villa Park, in quotes reported by the Birmingham Mail.
One of the hottest strikers in European football maintained his remarkable start to the season on Sunday afternoon.
Vardy scored two trademark goals as Leicester won an eighth straight Premier League game for the first time in their history, proving that his explosive acceleration has not been blunted by age as he burst away from the Aston Villa defence before slotting home in style – taking his tally to 16 goals in 16 top flight matches.
With £22 million summer signing Wesley Moraes once again proving completely ineffective at the other end, and playing an inadvertent role in Vardy’s first half opener, Villa boss Smith must be wishing he had a number nine like the 32-year-old right now.
“They were more clinical. They’ve got a player (Vardy) who, two-and-a-half years ago, was a £70m player who’s in a rich vein of form at the moment. It was always going to be difficult to contain (him),” said the former Brentford boss.
“He is a late grower into the game and is certainly flourishing,” Smith added to the Mercury.
“I think people thought maybe the season they became champions was his big season and might have been the top. But he is certainly showing and proving to everyone there is still life in him.
“He is a handful.”
While Vardy has averaged a goal a game so far in 2019/20, Wesley has just four in 16 to his name.
And with Aston Villa above the relegation zone on goal difference, it would not be a surprise if the Midland giants made signing a more reliable centre-forward their top priority next month.
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