Swansea 0-3 Leicester: Riyad Mahrez hat-trick downs Swans

Jamie Vardy's scoring run came to an end but a Riyad Mahrez hat-trick sent Leicester back to the top of the Premier League as they crushed Swansea 3-0 at the Liberty Stadium.

The away side blew their hosts away in the first half as a double from the Algerian midfielder left his team well-placed at the break, even though the scoreline could have been much more emphatic after 45 minutes.

Swansea started the second half with more intent and purpose but another Mahrez strike with a little over 20 minutes remaining settled the contest.

Vardy had his share of chances in both halves but could not force his 12th goal in 12 consecutive Premier League games as Leicester took advantage of Manchester City's earlier slip at Stoke to go two points clear at the top.

The visitors opened the scoring after five minutes in unorthodox circumstances. Kyle Bartley was panicked into conceding a corner under pressure from Vardy and from Marc Albrighton's excellent resulting set-piece, the ball struck Mahrez on the back and squeezed past Lukasz Fabianski.

Swansea enjoyed a decent spell of possession after going behind but could not force any chances in the Leicester box.

The away side should have gone 2-0 ahead after 15 minutes when Vardy's persistence saw him win the break of the ball off of Bartley but, one-on-one with Fabianski, he smashed his effort into the goalkeeper.

Leicester did not have to wait much longer before doubling their lead, however, as Mahrez struck again.

A quick break from the back saw Vardy trap the ball on the halfway line, lay it off for N'Golo Kanté who took a touch and picked out the run of Mahrez over the top, who controlled well, before sidefooting past the Swansea goalkeeper.

However, the Algerian was lucky to see the goal stand as it looked as though he had strayed offside.

A couple of minutes later, Mahrez and Leicester should have had their third but the midfielder's effort from inside the box was saved well by Fabianski.

Leonardo Ulloa then nearly got in on the act after being set up by Mahrez but, despite taking time to steady himself for the shot, his curling effort was well wide of Fabianski's post.

Garry Monk sent on Jefferson Montero in place of Wayne Routledge at the start of the second half and his side started much brighter.

Gylfi Sigurdsson's free-kick from the right picked out Ki Sung-yueng but his header came back off the bar.

Mahrez had another opportunity shortly after when he elected to shoot from the edge of the box instead of picking out one of three supporting team-mates as Leicester broke quickly again.

Sigurdsson threatened again but blasted over the bar before Mahrez did finally get his hat-trick to make sure of the points for the visitors after 67 minutes.

Kanté did well to drive into the Swansea box before picking out Vardy who spun before rolling the ball into the path of his team-mate who coolly finished past Fabianski for the third time.

Vardy then had chances to carry on his extraordinary goalscoring run. First he got on the end of a Danny Drinkwater ball over the top but, despite controlling well, blasted over the bar.

He then rounded Fabianski moments later but, from a tight angle, could only smash the ball into the side-netting.

Bafétimbi Gomis then forced Kasper Schmeichel into his first save of the match when he powered through the Leicester defence but his effort was well blocked by the onrushing goalkeeper.

Swansea hit the frame of the goal for a second time in the half as a Sigurdsson effort from distance came back off the post before Schmeichel was called upon again to deny André Ayew.

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There were late Leicester appeals for a penalty which would have surely handed Vardy his best chance of a goal but referee Michael Oliver waved away the calls.

Soccer Saturday verdict - Paul Merson

Will Leicester get a top-six finish? I don't think so. There's a long way to go but at the moment they are impressive. Vardy, I don't think I've seen a professional footballer work that hard for a long time. He is constantly on the move. He can't be going to nightclubs on Saturday night, he must be knackered! Mahrez won't be having a little career if he plays like that every week. The problem will be January because this lad's going to be wanted. 

I think Garry Monk will be struggling. I feel sorry for him. They started badly. I don't like seeing managers getting the sack. I think experienced managers only become experienced by working through bad times in their managerial career. Garry Monk's got one at the moment and hopefully he'll be given time to work through it because last year he was a good manager and you don't become a bad manager overnight. Players lose form but hopefully he's in a job next week.

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Player ratings

Leicester: Schmeichel (6), Simpson (6), Huth (6), Morgan (6), Fuchs (7), Mahrez (9), Kanté (8), Drinkwater (7), Albrighton (6), Ulloa (6), Vardy (7)

Subs: King (3) Schlupp (2)

Swansea: Fabianski (6), Naughton (5), Bartley (5), Williams (5), Taylor (5), Britton (5), Ki (5), Sigurdsson (6), Ayew (5), Routledge (5), Gomis (5)

Subs: Cork (4), Montero (6), Barrow (4)

Man of the Match: Riyad Mahrez