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By Michael EmonsBBC Sport at The King Power Stadium
Last updated on 23 minutes ago.From the section Premier League
Jamie Vardy scored 24 goals in 2015-16 as Leicester, under Claudio Ranieri, won the Premier League titleJamie Vardy scored twice as Leicester beat Watford in a hugely entertaining match to ruin Claudio Ranieri's return to the King Power Stadium.
Ranieri was in the opponents' dugout for the first time since guiding the Foxes to the 2015-16 Premier League title and received a great reception from the home fans.
But in a chaotic and thrilling game played in blizzard conditions, his current side played a big part in their own downfall.
There looked to be no danger when Jonny Evans launched a free-kick forward, but William Ekong ducked under the ball and that allowed James Maddison to fire the 16th-minute opener past Daniel Bachmann.
Watford were gifted a chance to equalise in the 30th minute when Wilfred Ndidi clumsily chopped down Emmanuel Dennis and Joshua King fired his penalty into the top corner.
But the hosts retook the lead four minutes later with an unmarked Vardy glancing a header in from Maddison's corner. The pair combined again just before half-time with Vardy lifting a fine finish for his second and Leicester's third goal.
Dennis then dispossessed Timothy Castagne and calmly finished to make it 3-2 in the 61st minute, but the hosts quickly restored their two-goal advantage when Harvey Barnes set up Ademola Lookman for a close-range tap-in.
The victory takes Leicester up from 13th into ninth, while Watford remain 16th, four points above the relegation zone.
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Leicester City
Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
Squad number27Player nameCastagne
Squad number6Player nameEvans
Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
Squad number33Player nameThomas
Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Squad number25Player nameNdidi
Squad number37Player nameLookman
Squad number10Player nameMaddison
Squad number7Player nameBarnes
Squad number9Player nameVardy
Squad number11Player nameAlbrighton
Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
Watford
Squad number26Player nameBachmann
Squad number21Player nameKiko Femenía
Squad number15Player nameCathcart- Squad number5Player nameTroost-Ekong
Squad number11Player nameMasina- Squad number6Player nameLouza
- Squad number29Player nameCucho Hernández
Squad number8Player nameCleverley- Squad number19Player nameSissoko
- Squad number7Player nameKing
- Squad number25Player nameDennis
- Squad number10Player nameJoão Pedro
- Squad number17Player nameFletcher
- Squad number18Player nameTufan
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 27Castagne
- 6Evans
- 4Söyüncü
- 33Thomas
- 42Soumaré
- 25Ndidi
- 37LookmanSubstituted forAlbrightonat 75'minutes
- 10MaddisonSubstituted forDewsbury-Hallat 88'minutes
- 7Barnes
- 9Vardy
Substitutes
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 14Iheanacho
- 17Pérez
- 18Amartey
- 20Choudhury
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 23Vestergaard
- 29Daka
Watford
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 26Bachmann
- 21Femenía
- 15Cathcart
- 5Troost-Ekong
- 11Masina
- 6LouzaSubstituted forJoão Pedroat 45'minutes
- 29Hernández
- 8CleverleySubstituted forTufanat 45'minutes
- 19Sissoko
- 7King
- 25DennisSubstituted forFletcherat 71'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ngakia
- 3Rose
- 10João Pedro
- 16Gosling
- 17Fletcher
- 18Tufan
- 27Kabasele
- 35Elliot
- 42Morris
Referee:Andy Madley
Attendance:34,310
Live Text
Match ends, Leicester City 4, Watford 2.
Second Half ends, Leicester City 4, Watford 2.
Hand ball by Ashley Fletcher (Watford).
Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Joshua King (Watford).
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Luke Thomas.
Corner, Watford. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Daniel Bachmann.
Attempt saved. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Çaglar Söyüncü.
Substitution, Leicester City. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall replaces James Maddison.
Attempt blocked. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Adam Masina.
Attempt missed. Ozan Tufan (Watford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Kiko Femenía with a cross.
Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ozan Tufan (Watford).
Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Adam Masina (Watford).
Offside, Leicester City. Timothy Castagne tries a through ball, but Jamie Vardy is caught offside.
Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Adam Masina (Watford).
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