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Leicester City win EPL title in one of the greatest underdog stories in sport history

Leicester City face off against Huddersfield Town. (Nigel French/PA via PA)
2nd May, 2016
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Leicester City have claimed the English Premier League title this morning (AEST), after their closest rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, could only manage a draw against London rivals Chelsea.

Having shared the spoils with Manchester United themselves on the weekend, Leicester sat eight points clear of Spurs atop the table.

For Mauricio Pochettino’s men, the equation was simple: win against Chelsea and stay alive for another week. And heading into halftime with a 2-0 lead, it looked like they would do just that.

But Chelsea clawed it back, with Gary Cahill netting in off a corner in the 58th minute, before Eden Hazard scored the equaliser in the 82nd.

Perhaps it is fitting that last season’s title holders ultimately determined who this season’s champions would be.

The ladder now stands with Leicester on 77 points to Spurs’ 70. With only two matches left in the season (and a win being worth three points), there is now no scenario where Tottenham can overhaul the Foxes.

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It’s being touted as one of the greatest stories in sports history.

Leicester started the season at 5000-1 odds, having barely managed to avoid relegation the previous year.

Making matters worse, the club was involved in a sex scandal at the start of the season, which saw manager Nigel Pearson replaced by Claudio Ranieri.

Yet a season many fans would have been happy to see end with their side avoiding relegation has seen them claim English football’s ultimate prize.

Along the way their ragtag crew of journeymen and never-had-beens have become the most clinical outfit in the English game.

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Jamie Vardy, yesterday voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association, was essentially playing park football and working 12-hours shifts in a factory only a few short years ago.

Yet during his side’s incredible run to the title, Vardy broke Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of scoring goals in ten consecutive matches, the Englishman netting in an 11th match on the trot against Manchester United – the very side van Nistelrooy set the old record playing for – last November.

Of Vardy’s teammates, Riyad Mahrez was named the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year, while midfielder N’Golo Kante signed with Foxes for £5.6 million prior to the season and is now being talked about as worth five times that amount.

They didn’t always play pretty, or win by much, but they were aware of that most simple of sporting rules: you only need to win by one to win.

In terms of league champions, the Foxes’ win represents a massive fracture. Since 1995, only four clubs have taken the title: Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. As such, taking the trophy to Leicester will be the first time it’s left London or Manchester in over 20 years.

Since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, only one other side has taken the title: Kenny Dalglish’s Blackburn Rovers in season 1994-95.

As such, Leicester City have given hope to every supporter of a smaller club – sure there’s a big four, but nothing’s guaranteed.

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And while Europe’s major clubs are sure to swoop on Leicester over the summer and break the team up with big-money transfer offers, you’d still put a buck of two on them to go back-to-back.

Especially if they’re at 5000-1 again.

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