Four years ago on this corresponding weekend, Jamie Vardy was playing in the fifth tier of English football. On Saturday, the 28-year old scored in his eleventh consecutive Premier League game to create history.
Jamie Vardy’s 24th minute strike made him the first man to ever score in 11 consecutive Premier League games and the first to score in the same number of English top-flight games since Blackpool’s Stan Mortensen in 1950-51.
“Obviously I am delighted with the achievement, but the most important thing was the performance,” said Vardy when speaking to Sky Sports. Vardy was asked to repeat what he said when celebrating, but replied saying “I don’t think I can repeat that.”
Vardy’s rise to fame has been a remarkable story, encapsulated this weekend by his latest record. In 2011 28-year old Vardy was playing in the English conference (the fifth division) for Fleetwood Town.
In 2012 he signed for Leicester City in the English Championship (the second division) and in 2014, won promotion with the Foxes to the Premier League. In his first season in the English top-flight, Vardy scored five goals, but this season already has 14 goals in 14 matches.
Vardy’s goals in 11 consecutive matches breaks the Premier League record set by Ruud van Nistelrooy when playing for Manchester United across two seasons in 2003.
Schweinsteiger grabs first goal
While Vardy was breaking records, Bastian Schweinsteiger was breaking Leicester City fans’ hearts. The former Bayern Munich captain scored his first goal for Manchester United, ruling out Vardy’s earlier strike.
The German international beat former Mainz striker Shinji Okazaki to a header from a corner in added time at the end of the first half. 31-year old Schweinsteiger has made 14 appearances for United since joining in the summer.
Schweinsteiger’s goal turned out to be a vital one for the Red Devils, with the match finishing in a 1-1 draw, leaving Manchester United third in the Premier League table, behind Leicester and Manchester City.
