Okazaki strike sinks Newcastle

Leicester City’s Shinji Okazaki celebrates after scoring against Newcastle in their EPL match in Leicester on Monday. The hosts won 1-0. (Photo: AFP)

Shinji Okazaki’s stunning goal upstaged new Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez as Leicester City reasserted a five-point lead in the Premier League with a tight 1-0 victory on Monday.

Benitez was taking charge of Newcastle for the first time since being appointed as the successor to the sacked Steve McClaren on a three-year contract, but it was Japan international Okazaki, 29, who stole the headlines with an acrobatic 25th-minute overhead kick.

Okazaki’s sixth goal of the season took Leicester five points clear of Tottenham Hotspur, who had trimmed their lead to two points with victory at Aston Villa on Sunday, and nudged Claudio Ranieri’s men a step closer to an extraordinary title triumph.

“It was not our best performance, but we showed great spirit,” said Ranieri, whose side require 20 points from their final eight matches to win the title.

“I feel now that I am just concentrating on the next game against Crystal Palace. We are so strong, we think only one game at a time. Step by step, that is our philosophy.”

It was Newcastle’s fourth consecutive defeat.