The 29-year-old’s wrongful dismissal claim was rejected by the Football Association and he misses games against Everton, West Ham and Middlesbrough.

The England forward was sent off by referee Craig Pawson in the 28th minute for a tackle on Stoke’s Mame Diouf.

Vardy made a two-footed tackle, won the ball, but clipped Diouf’s shins.

After the game, Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri said: “He wants to challenge and get the ball, not make a foul. He touched the ball. Maybe it was yellow.”

Vardy misses Leicester’s next three Premier League games over the festive period, but will be available for their FA Cup third-round tie at Everton on 7 January.
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Source: BBC

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The Foxes were 2-0 up in five minutes as Vardy ended his 10-game run without a Premier League goal by slotting home, and Andy King curled in moments later.

It was 3-0 within 20 minutes as Vardy added another after skipping past visiting keeper Claudio Bravo, and he completed his hat-trick by intercepting a misplaced John Stones pass and finishing from a narrow angle.

Aleksandar Kolarov, with a free-kick, and Nolito scored late consolation goals for the away side.

They have now lost back-to-back league games for the first time since Pep Guardiola took over in the summer, and are four points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

For defending champions Leicester, victory ended a five-game run without a league win and moved them up to 14th.

Man City pay for chaotic defending

Guardiola said this week he wanted a new rule to allow teams to use up to six substitutes – and after five minutes he may have hoped his wish was a reality.

Manchester City have kept just two Premier League clean sheets this season, and Guardiola reshuffled his formation to start with a back three of Pablo Zabaleta, John Stones and Bacary Sagna.

That strategy was swiftly scrapped, though, when his side fell 2-0 down after just 255 seconds – Kolarov was hauled out of midfield and into a hastily created back four.

The visitors, looking marginally better for the change, still managed to get caught on the break for Leicester’s third and frequently put themselves under pressure by trying to play out from the back – Stones’ misplaced backpass for Vardy’s third the costliest example.

Their fragility could well be a result of their lack of a consistent starting XI, with Guardiola never having kept the same line-up for two consecutive games during his time at Etihad Stadium.

Suspensions for Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi had forced the Spaniard to make changes here, and his side were devoid of cohesion.

For all their possession, they did not have their first shot on target until Kolarov scored a well-placed free-kick in the 82nd minute, and only salvaged further respectability when Nolito tapped in the Serb’s low cross late on.

Foxes show championship charm again

Leicester, who were a point above the relegation zone when they kicked off, were superb and, for perhaps the first time this season, showed all the hallmarks of last term’s incredible title-winning campaign.

That most unlikely of championships was built on resolute defending, lightning-quick counter-attacking, Vardy’s goals and Riyad Mahrez’s magic – all of which were on show.

Mahrez pulled off a superb first touch to direct a high ball to Islam Slimani, who in turn slid in Vardy for the opener, and the Algerian repeated the feat when he redirected a long ball into the path of Vardy for Leicester’s third.

Vardy, who scored 24 Premier League goals last season, had endured a 741-minute goal drought in the league, but took his tally for this term to five when he capitalised on Stones’ error and somehow threaded a finish from the tightest of angles.

‘Welcome back Jamie’ – what they said
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri told BBC Sport: “It was the true Leicester, maybe because we have played so badly in our last few matches, but today we were so strong.

“We played smart, slowed down the tempo.

“I am very pleased for Jamie. When he finished, I said ‘welcome back’.”

Former Leicester defender Matt Elliott on BBC Radio Leicester: “There was a spark and zip about Leicester’s play from the off. You could sense it, a freshness in the air.

“That’s their best performance by some distance this season and that might just reignite their season, certainly in domestic terms.”

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Source: BBC

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The 29-year-old striker, who scored 24 goals in a historic season for the Foxes, was named on a 30-man list of nominees for the prestigious award, which is currently held by Barcelona star Messi.

France Football, the sole organisers of the prize given to the best footballer in the world following a split from FIFA, revealed Vardy was in contention in a tweet published on Monday evening.

The Sheffield-born player is the only Englishman nominated, while Real Madrid’s Bale represents Wales after his heroics at Euro 2016.

Vardy is not the only Leicester player whose achievements have been recognised, however. Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez – the PFA Players’ Player of the Year – is on the shortlist.

Manchester City and city rivals United will hope Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba threaten the top three when journalists begin the next round of voting, while West Ham’s free-kick specialist Dimitri Payet and Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris are also contenders.

Regular victors Messi and Ronaldo – the latter having endured a lean year by his usual prolific standards – will face stiff competition from the likes of Luis Suarez, Neymar and Robert Lewandowski.

Breakthrough stars Paulo Dybala, Antoine Griezmann and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will provide further cause for concern to the world game’s established top order.

Among the surprise omissions from the list are Manchester United keeper David De Gea, Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil and Juventus centre-back Leonardo Bonucci.

Ballon d’Or 2016 shortlist in full:

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund)

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)

Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid)

Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)

Gonzalo Higuain (Juventus)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United)

Andres Iniesta (Barcelona)

Koke (Atletico Madrid)

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid)

Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

Riyad Mahrez (Leicester)

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Hugo Lloris (Tottenham)

Dimitri Payet (West Ham)

Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

Pepe (Real Madrid)

Neymar (Barcelona)

Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon)

Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

Arturo Vidal (Bayern Munich)
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Source: talksport

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