Jamie Vardy: Leicester striker sets new scoring record

Four years ago Jamie Vardy was playing for Fleetwood in the Conference in front of crowds of fewer than 1,000. Today the Leicester striker is the toast of England having become the first player to score in 11 consecutive Premier League matches.

The Foxes frontman netted in the first-half of his side's 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Saturday, and in doing so he eclipsed the record of Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Dutch striker found the net for United in ten consecutive matches stretching over two seasons in 2003, but Vardy's run began on August 29 when he scored against Bournemouth.

Since then the 28-year-old has added 12 more goals, a remarkable run of form that has propelled Leicester to the top of the Premier League. Today they lie in second, level on points with leaders Manchester City, whose 3-1 defeat of Southampton puts them top on goal difference.

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Van Nistelrooy was among the first to acknowledge Vardy's feat, writing on Twitter: "Well done @vardy7! You’re number one now and you deserved it. #11inarow."

Another of the Premier League's all-time greats, Alan Shearer, whose 260 goals are a EPL record, added his congratulations, tweeting: "Congratulations @vardy7 what a magnificent achievement!!!"

Vardy accomplished his record by racing onto a pass from Christian Fuchs on 24 minutes and drilling a low shot past David de Gea to put Leicester in front. Though Bastian Schweinsteiger equalised for United on the stroke of half-time, Vardy's goal (his 14th of the season in total) ensured that the Leicester faithful went home happy.

"The record was not in my mind, it would have affected my performance and the team's, and that's the last thing I wanted to do," explained Vardy. "I have kept my head down and not tried to think too much about it. I can think about it when I am home but as soon as I cross the white line all I should be concentrating on is my football. That's what I have been doing and exactly what I will continue to do."

In which case he better not read the papers between now and Saturday, when Leicester visit Swansea, for if Vardy scores at the Liberty Stadium, he will draw level with Irishman Jimmy Dunne, who scored in 12 successive games in what was then the old First Division for Sheffield United in the 1931-32 season.

Dunne's tally remains the all-time record for the English top-flight, proving too good for some of the greats of the game, including Dixie Dean, Ted Drake, Jimmy Greaves, Ian Rush and Thierry Henry. Now Vardy, who began his career with Yorkshire club Stocksbridge Park Steels, stands on the brink of history.

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri hailed Vardy's record as "an incredible achievement", adding: "Jamie made the record, it is fantastic for us. Five years ago he played in non-league, it is difficult to grow up so quickly and this fantastic man is not only our goalscorer but he presses, he works hard, he is important."

And Vardy even drew praise from the notoriously undemonstrative Louis van Gaal, the United manager saying: "It is a fantastic record to have, 11 matches in a row. Not many players will do that."