Leicester 2-1 Watford: Jamie Vardy makes it nine in a row as Foxes go joint-top

Jamie Vardy scored for the ninth successive Premier League game as Leicester beat Watford 2-1 and moved joint-top of the division.

The England international - closing in on Ruud van Nistelrooy's 10 in a row back in 2003 - struck what proved the winner from the penalty spot (65) after he was brought down in the box by Heurelho Gomes, usual taker Riyad Mahrez agreeing to relinquish duties.

Gomes had a game to forget, allowing N'Golo Kante's timid shot to slip through his fingers as the home side made the breakthrough on 52 minutes.

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Watford pulled a goal back late on when Kante felled substitute Juan Carlos Peredes in the area and Troy Deeney converted the spot-kick, but the Foxes held on to seal a fourth league win in six matches.

It looked destined to be the first match since August in which Vardy would not score for Leicester, the striker signalling to the bench of apparent groin pain after an hour of play.

He had only one effort in a goalless first half, firing tamely into Gomes' hands after Marc Albrighton had also gone close in an opening period arguably edged by the visitors.

Watford had more possession and Odion Ighalo, the Hornet's top goalscorer this season, smacked a volley against the post after 20 minutes having been found in the box by Deeney.

But Leicester have grown stronger in games week after week, and they deserved to go ahead seven minutes into the second half despite it being a gift from the 'keeper.

Kante worked space inside the area and prodded a meager shot towards the far corner that should have been saved, but instead it crept in through Gomes's fingers.

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The Brazilian then launched himself at Vardy in the right-hand corner of the penalty area, sending the striker tumbling but avoiding a red card.

Vardy smashed the spot-kick high into the net to make it 2-0 and the Foxes would have kept a clean sheet had it not been for a mistake from goalscorer Kante.

The summer signing lost possession inside his own area with a poor touch and then tripped his tackler Peredes. Deeney made no mistake but it proved in vain.

Charlie Nicholas's Soccer Saturday verdict

"Leicester deserve to be where they are. When they get in front they keep driving forward, they don't sit back, and when they go behind they keep driving forward.

"Can anybody take anything away from them? In fairness it might have been a draw today but because they keep going for it and keep having goals and options in their play then you can take nothing away from them."

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Player ratings

Leicester: Schmeichel (7), Simpson (7), Huth (7), Morgan (8), Fuchs (7), Albrighton (7), Kante (7), Drinkwater (7), Schlupp (7), Mahrez (7), Vardy (8).

Subs used: King (6), Okazaki (6), Dyer (6).

Watford: Gomes (4); Nyom (6), Britos (6), Cathcart (7), Ake (7); Capoue (7), Watson (6); Abdi (6), Deeney (7), Anya (5); Ighalo (7).

Subs used: Paredes (7), Diamanti (6).

Man of the match: Jamie Vardy