Back on April 6 2015, I posed the question 'Has a Winning Run Just Begun?' for Leicester City, and the Foxes answered with a resounding 'YES!'
Leicester's 2-1 home win against West Ham ushered in Leicester's valiant attempt at the Great Escape that now sees them two games away from reaching the impossible dream.
The Foxes ran rampant, winning five of the next six games to haul themselves two points clear of the relegation zone with two games to go. So how were City able to turn their season around in just over a month?
Having been thumped 4-1 by relegation strugglers QPR at home the week before, West Brom returned to the Hawthorns with renewed vigour.
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| West Brom celebrated the life of Jeff Astle by wearing a commemorative kit |
The Baggies celebrated the life of former player, Jeff Astle, by playing in only the second commemorative kit in Premier League history, and the passion felt by the fans inside the ground gave West Brom a supportive 12th men against the Foxes.
The home fans quickly had cause for cheer when Darren Fletcher lost his marker in the 8th minute and headed home the opener in a goal that has been conceded far too many times by City this season.
Leicester soon responded and David Nugent sweetly finished from a Leonardo Ulloa flick-on in the 20th minute. West Brom edged ahead six minutes later when Craig Gardner's shot took a deflection and they were fortunate not to be penalised for offside when Craig Dawson looked to be interfering with play as he rejoined the pitch just as Gardner let his shot fly.
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| Jamie Vardy celebrates the winner at the Hawthorns |
The second half saw Leicester throwing men forward and a Robert Huth header brought the teams level in the 80th minute. The away fans now urged City to find a winner and Jamie Vardy's tenacity at the half way line saw him burst into West Brom's half and bury a left footed shot.
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| Vardy scored in front of Leicester's away fans who join him in the celebrations |
City's stoppage time winner was well deserved, particularly how they absorbed West Brom's pressure in the first half and then countered in the second.
Leicester's King Power Stadium has been unable to stage music concerts in the 13 years its been open due to vibrations shaking it's foundations and the 'KP' was rocking when the Foxes made it three wins in a row for the first time this season.
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| Leonardo Ulloa celebrates his eighth goal of the season with his team mates |
Ulloa got his first league goal since New Year's Day when he slammed home the ball after a Wes Morgan knock down.
Thoughts of City throwing away a win were creeping around the ground until Andy King made the game safe when he scored his second goal in three games when he slotted home a rebound in the 89th minute after Swansea keeper, Lukasz Fabianski, parried an Esteban Cambiasso free-kick.
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| Andy King pounces on the rebound to make the game safe |
The result lifted City off the bottom for the first time since November 2014 and an inferior goal difference was the only thing keeping City in the relegation zone.
Leicester's trip to Turf Moor had the potential of ending the survival hopes of one of the teams playing and it proved to be City who dealt the killer blow.
Two teams fighting for survival played a scrappy game and Burnley tried to use their home advantage but were thwarted by Kasper Schmeichel saving a range of chances.
In a season where City have been hit by poor luck, it was Burnley who were dealt a cruel hand.
Paul Konchesky fouled Burnley's Matty Taylor in the box and Taylor immediately picked up the ball to take the penalty ahead of usual spot kicker, Danny Ings. Taylor sent Schmeichel the wrong way but the ball flicked the outside of the post and went out for a goal kick. Schmeichel's hoof up the pitch was brought under control by Marc Albrighton who whipped in a troublesome cross into the box.
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| Jamie Vardy signals the score which all but condemned Burnley's relegation |
Burnley defender, Michael Duff, turned the ball towards goal and his keeper, Tom Heaton, pulled off a save but Vardy was there to bundle the ball over the line.
Schmeichel stayed alert to prevent a Huth own goal later on and Leicester held on to their fourth straight victory whilst Burnley's chances of surviving were all but over.
When this fixture was moved from its original February date, the most optimistic fan would have written this fixture off as a clear Chelsea win but the momentum was with Leicester and, in the first half, the Foxes shocked a lackluster champions-elect.
Chelsea's incentive for the game was to secure three points to set up a Premier League crowning party at Stamford Bridge if they won again the following Sunday.
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| Marc Albrighton celebrates his first goal for Leicester since joining the team in the summer |
Yet it was Leicester who began the game playing more like champions despite being hampered by the early losses of Andy King and Huth to injury. Chelsea were waiting for the half time whistle when Konchesky forced a save from Petr Cech low to his right. Leicester kept on coming and Vardy burst down the left and his cross was buried into the bottom corner with a shot across goal from Albrighton.
Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho, must have been breathing down the necks of his players at half time and their second half was a stark contrast from the previous 45 minutes.
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| Didier Drogba equalised early in the second half which switched the game's momentum |
Blues' Branislav Ivanovic took advantage of some poor defending from Konchesky and pulled a cross back from the left for Didier Drogba to equalise. Drogba should have doubled his tally moments later but scooped his shot high above the crossbar.
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| Leicester had no response for John Terry's goal which took Chelsea into the lead |
Chelsea then took the lead in the 79th minute when John Terry pounced on a Schmeichel parry from a header direct from a Chelsea corner and any hopes of a Leicester fightback were ended when Ramires scored seven minutes from time.
Leicester's valiant effort, particularly in the first half, came to nothing but Nigel Pearson could be proud of his team's display against Chelsea who were crowned Premier League champions days after.
Leicester's record in April was Played 5 - Won 4 - Lost 1 and they looked to get back to winning ways against a Newcastle team that were in utter disarray.
The pre-match build up mainly consisted of reaction to Pearson's bizarre post-Chelsea press conference where he called a journalist "stupid", "daft" and an "ostrich."
Newcastle were unprepared for a Leicester onslaught which began with the first whistle of the game. After kicking off, Newcastle were soon pressed into conceding a corner and Albrighton's cross was nodded in from Ulloa after 37 seconds.
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| Wes Morgan celebrates doubling Leicester's lead |
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| Leonardo Ulloa makes it 3-0 after converting from the penalty spot |
The Argentinean was denied a hat-trick when Newcastle keeper, Krul, later tipped his header over the crossbar.
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| Vardy was lucky to escape without injury after being needlessly challenged by Williamson |
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| Newcastle were reduced to nine men when Janmaat was sent off for a second yellow |
Magpies manager, John Carver was visibly frustrated by his players' actions and would later question Williamson's motives for being sent off.
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| Nigel Pearson proudly displays his Manager of the Month award |
LEICESTER CITY 2 - 0 SOUTHAMPTON
The next visitors to the 'KP' were a Southampton side who had already settled on a top half finish but to say the Saints were suffering from 'End of Season Syndrome' wouldn't do Leicester justice.
Having been without striker David Nugent due to injury, Pearson had been playing Riyad Mahrez behind the two strikers and the Algerian international staked his claim for a permanent start after an amazing first 20 minutes which blew Southampton away.
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| Riyad Mahrez's selection was justified with two well taken goals |
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| Matty James' season was cut short when he injured his knee off the ball |
The Foxes were undeterred though as a poor clearance by Saints keeper, Paulo Gazzaniga, was flicked back by Ulloa to Vardy. The City striker was able to suck three men around him before he squared the ball to an unchallenged Mahrez who scored from five yards out.
In a sign of how far Leicester have come this season, they were able to control the game, despite Southampton having 69 per cent of possession but the Saints were denied putting together anything challenging by a Leicester team who pressured them on the ball.
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| Leicester fans kept up to date on the day's other games which saw Burnley relegated |
A day later, QPR were dismantled to a 6-0 loss to Manchester City, leaving Leicester two points clear with two games to go.
ANOTHER TWIST IN THE FOXES TAIL?
I have to say, I wish I had placed a bet on New Year's Day for Leicester to survive the drop. City's inspired display against Liverpool at Anfield, where they came from behind twice from dubious penalty decisions, showed what character this team has. After looking at the fixture list, it was clear to see that City had the best run-in compared with those around them and I was convinced that we could survive.
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| Leicester fans show their support for Nigel Pearson towards the end of a rollercoaster season |
Pearson's aim had been to go into the final game of the season with City's fate in their own hands but its a testament to the team that they could seal it with a week to go.
QPR and Burnley are relegated, leaving a five-team battle to avoid finishing in the 18th and final position of the relegation zone. Aston Villa can guarantee their safety by winning this weekend whilst Leicester can do the same if results go our way.
Going into the penultimate weekend of the season the bottom of the table standings are:
Position
|
Team
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
GD
|
Pts
|
14
|
36
|
10
|
8
|
18
|
30
|
50
|
-20
|
38
|
|
36
|
10
|
7
|
19
|
41
|
54
|
-13
|
37
|
||
35
|
7
|
15
|
13
|
30
|
50
|
-20
|
36
|
||
36
|
9
|
9
|
18
|
37
|
61
|
-24
|
36
|
||
36
|
8
|
10
|
18
|
33
|
49
|
-16
|
34
|
||
36
|
6
|
11
|
19
|
27
|
53
|
-26
|
29
|
||
36
|
7
|
6
|
23
|
39
|
67
|
-28
|
27
|
Safety is so close you could almost taste it!
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