Vardy: A Top-Notch Performance

- Leicester City were 5-0 winners at Stoke City on Saturday
- Jamie Vardy netted a brace, adding to Patson Daka's earlier double
- Kasey McAteer was also on the scoresheet at bet365 Stadium
- Vardy discussed the importance of the win and his fitness at 37

The 37-year-old Premier League, Sky Bet Championship, FA Cup and FA Community Shield winner notched a brace from the bench for the Foxes at bet365 Stadium, following an earlier double from Patson Daka and Kasey McAteer's solitary strike.

It's a result which extends City's cushion in the Championship's automatic promotion places to 12 points and, while there's still 16 games to go, Vardy believes Leicester are heading into a crucial period of the season.

Asked how Manager Enzo Maresca described the Foxes' 23rd league win of the campaign, Vardy said: "He's really delighted with the result, that’s the main thing. We’re at the final stretch of the season if you want to put it that way.

"We know we’ve got a run of games that we can pick up points in, so we’ve just got to keep ticking them off, keep getting the points and keep looking to the next game.

"Performance-wise, it was top-notch. We’ve controlled the game virtually all the way through. I think we could have had a few more. That wasn’t to be, but we’ve come away with five goals and three points, so we’ll look forward to the next one now."

Vardy is now into double figures for goals in 2023/24, despite being out for nearly two months through injury and facing competition for places. Taking recovery seriously and benefiting from new technology is helping City's No.9.

"Obviously, like everyone, you want to be playing as much as you can, but if you’re on the bench and you’re coming on, you have to make sure you make an impact," he added. "Thirty-seven is just a number. You’re as young as you feel.

"I look after myself, keep myself fit, so I’ll keep going for as long as possible. Football’s a demanding game, it has to be like that, and you just make sure you recover right and get ready for the next game.

"If you look at the world and how technology has moved forward, there’s different things you can do for recovery now. I’ve been lucky enough to put that into my house, so any extra recovery I can get it done at home when we’re not at the training ground gives me a little benefit."