Premier League: For Leicester, party’s about to begin again

Striker Jamie Vardy will return for Saturday’s game. (Photo: AFP)

The King Power Stadium will stage Leicester City’s coronation as Premier League champions on Saturday when Claudio Ranieri’s miracle team receive the trophy after their final home game against Everton.

Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Monday, which confirmed Leicester’s extraordinary 5,000-1 success, sparked jubilation in the streets of Leicester and a party at the home of star striker Jamie Vardy, where the players had gathered to watch the match.

The festivities have continued across the week, with the squad dining out at a city-centre restaurant on Tuesday, but Saturday’s game presents an opportunity for players, staff and supporters to unite in communal celebration of a feat that has captivated fans around the world.

After the match, the trophy will be presented to Leicester captain Wes Morgan by lifelong supporter Steve Worthy, who won a competition organised by league sponsors Barclays.

He is dedicating the experience to his 97-year-old grandmother, Gladys Knight, who had to forfeit her season ticket this season due to ill health.

“When I hand the Premier League trophy to Wes Morgan I’ll be thinking of my grandmother,” Worthy said.

The 25kg trophy, topped by a golden crown, will be decorated with ribbons of blue, for Leicester, and yellow, representing the royal house of Thailand, which is the country of club owners King Power.

Morgan will become the first Leicester skipper to hoist a major trophy since Matt Elliott lifted the League Cup 16 years ago and the 32-year-old centre-back has already been picturing the moment.

On the pitch, Leicester will welcome back 22-goal top scorer Vardy after he was suspended for the 4-0 win over Swansea City and last weekend’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United, which took Ranieri’s men to the brink of glory.

While there is nothing riding on the game for either side, Vardy has an opportunity to close the three-goal gap separating him from Tottenham’s Harry Kane in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot.

Fixtures Saturday: Aston Villa vs Newcastle, Bournemouth vs West Brom, Crystal Palace vs Stoke, Leicester vs Everton, Norwich vs Man United, Sunderland vs Chelsea, West Ham vs Swansea; Sunday: Liverpool vs Watford, Man City vs Arsenal, Tottenham vs Southampton