Leicester continue to inflict improbable Premiership pain on Tottenham, fighting back to win here yesterday just as in George Graham's first match in charge of Spurs almost a year ago.
Spurs may have enjoyed Wembley success against Leicester in the spring but they have now failed to beat them in seven league games, a hoodoo confirmed 14 minutes from time when Gerry Taggart scored the winner that Leicester's second-half superiority had earned.
In a game of sharp scoring bursts, Tottenham thought they had at least bought time in their long pursuit of a striker when the Norwegian Steffen Iversen hit two goals in nine first-half minutes. But Iversen, who on both occasions exploited errors by Leicester's defender Phil Gilchrist, found his match yesterday in Muzzy Izzet, the Leicester midfielder scoring two goals of his own, including an unlikely farpost header which exploited the short stature of Tottenham's back four in the continued absence of Sol Campbell.
Leicester already have two representatives, Emile Heskey and Steve Guppy, in Kevin Keegan's latest squad. But according to their fans that should be three. "Izzet for England," they chorused lustily after his 69thminute header took his total this season to seven. Earlier he had put his side ahead with a calm penalty in the 25th minute after Heskey was brought down by Luke Young.
They Izzet-for-England campaign has a chief cheerleader in his manager Martin O'Neill, a constant champion of the player.
After 76 minutes Taggart pounced to shoot clinically inside the near post for the three points.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Walker, Carr, Perry, Young (Vega 72), Taricco, Leonhardsen, Sherwood, Freund, Ginola (Nielsen 71), Iversen, Armstrong. Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Edinburgh, Clemence. Booked: Leonhardsen, Sherwood, Nielsen. Goals: Iversen 26, 35.
LEICESTER CITY: Flowers, Gilchrist (Marshall 67), Elliott, Taggart, Impey, Savage, Lennon, Izzet, Guppy, Heskey, Cottee. Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Fenton, Oakes, Zagorakis. Booked: Lennon. Goals: Izzet 25 pen, 69, Taggart 76.
Referee: G Barber (Tring).
