Leicester City 2 Stoke City 0: Ndidi, Vardy smash Shakespeare into the record books

Leicester City continued their turnaround under Craig Shakespeare as a pair of fine goals secured a 2-0 Premier League victory over Stoke City that further boosted the champions’ survival bid.

The Foxes are now six points clear of the relegation zone, having taken 12 points from a possible 12 with the new manager – Shakespeare becoming just the fifth coach – and first Englishman – to win his first four Premier League games in charge.

Shakespeare has inspired improved performances from the title-winning stars that were struggling earlier in the season, but it was January signing Wilfred Ndidi who fired Leicester in front.

Ndidi’s superb strike, the 20-year-old’s first in the Premier League, came after 25 minutes and Jamie Vardy added a second shortly after the interval with a brilliant volley.

Leicester cruised through the remainder of the second half and, with a Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid on the horizon, can head into a busy spell in good spirits.

The hosts’ first chance fell the way of Yohan Benalouane following Erik Pieters’ misjudged clearance from a free-kick, but the defender lashed a close-range effort across the face of goal.

A second opportunity also arrived from a Leicester set-piece, with Robert Huth’s header half-blocked by Pieters – again floundering in his own area – and both Shinji Okazaki and Vardy failed to turn the loose ball on target.

But the champions continued to build momentum and Demarai Gray powered a 20-yard shot wide of the left-hand post, before a second blast from distance provided the opener.

Ndidi picked up the ball 30 yards from goal, taking a pass inside from Danny Simpson, and drove forwards to thrash a stunning strike into the top-right corner.

PICTURED: @Ndidi25 can’t escape @vardy7‘s clutches after one of the strikes of the season. An absolute cracker. #LeiSto #lcfc pic.twitter.com/76Z47hhAsK

— Leicester City (@LCFC) April 1, 2017

Stoke responded strongly, but Marko Arnautovic pulled a low shot just wide after turning well in the box and Saido Berahino shot straight at Kasper Schmeichel as he ran clear.

Okazaki had offered a reminder of Leicester’s threat with an acrobatic volley over the top, though, and Lee Grant was then forced into a smart stop from Riyad Mahrez’s powerful drive.

And after just two minutes of the second half, Vardy doubled the home side’s lead with another magnificent effort struck high past Grant from Simpson’s cross.

Leicester kept pushing and Christian Fuchs’ deflected effort tested the goalkeeper, who then saved well as Okazaki shot hard and low on the counter.

Grant somehow blocked again from Mahrez’s first-time shot inside the area after good work from Vardy, before springing up to stop the same player on the rebound.

Peter Crouch squandered a great chance to bring Stoke back into the game as he volleyed Arnautovic’s centre wide, with Mahrez and Ndidi both having chances to add a third goal for Leicester as the visitors’ hopes diminished.

Crouch had another glorious opening in the dying minutes, but again failed to test Schmeichel to sum up a miserable day for Mark Hughes’ men.