Tottenham 0 Leicester 1: Wasteful Spurs made to pay as late Huth header settles top-four battle

Tottenham were left to rue a series of missed chances as they suffered a damaging defeat to top-four rivals Leicester.

Spurs wasted several opportunities and were punished when Robert Huth headed home a corner seven minutes from full-time.

The win moved Leicester seven points clear of Spurs in the Premier League table, and they will approach next week’s FA Cup third-round replay at home to Mauricio Pochettino’s side brimming with confidence.

The home side, who restored key men like Harry Kane, Hugo Lloris, Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli to the starting XI, began brightly – just as they had in last Cup tie that ended 2-2 here at White Hart Lane.

But they created only one clear chance in that period, when Toby Alderweireld’s header from Erik Lamela’s corner was pushed over by Kasper Schmeichel.

Leicester were happy to soak up pressure and play on the break but they still created good chances, as fit-again Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki and Danny Drinkwater all went close before the break.

In the second half, Lamela missed two excellent chances for Spurs and Kane saw his close-range effort rebound off Schmeichel and on to the crossbar.

Yet the visitors were always dangerous. Lloris had to be quick to deny Vardy and then Riyad Mahrez, Mark Albrighton and substitutes Leonardo Ulloa and Andy King all had shots blocked in a remarkable scramble.

Leicester made the breakthrough when Huth was left unmarked inside the box and met Christian Fuchs’ corner with a precise header that that flew into Lloris’ top-right corner.