Leicester City registered their fourth consecutive Premier League victory and edged further from the relegation zone with a convincing win over Stoke City at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes had the better of the opening stages before Wilfred Ndidi put them ahead with a superb strike from 25 yards out, the ball curling past Stoke goalkeeper Lee Grant and into the top corner. Stoke were unable to put Leicester under any sustained pressure and paid the price when Jamie Vardy exploited the space in front of the goal to beat Glen Johnson and volley home. The visitors grew into the second half but were left infuriated when Marko Arnautovic, after sliding Mame Diouf's pass into the net, was wrongly judged offside. Grant's agility in goal kept Leicester from scoring again but Peter Crouch fluffed a simple header from close range in the final minutes to add to Stoke's woes.

The result means that Craig Shakespeare, who took over at the club in February, is the first British manager to win his first four Premier League games in charge. The Foxes are now 13th in the league and six points clear of the relegation zone, while Stoke, who have only won three away league games this season, remain ninth. When Shakespeare took over at Leicester the Foxes were low on confidence, hovering one point above the relegation zone and searching for the fluency and unity they had last season as they won the Premier League title. They will face sterner tests than Stoke as the season winds down but they looked fresh and energetic here, with Demarai Gray outpacing Stoke's defence throughout the match.

The Foxes, for all their struggles, are the only Premier League side yet to drop a point from a winning position this season and Ndidi put them ahead in emphatic style, taking a touch from Danny Simpson's cross before volleying powerfully past Grant. Vardy's goal - his 11th of the season - brought back memories of last year's successful campaign as he darted around Johnson to meet Simpson's floated cross, and he received a standing ovation from the Foxes fans as he left the pitch.The home side dominated possession and were only denied a further goal by Grant's athleticism, the Stoke keeper twice diving at full-stretch to deny the Foxes. Stoke have picked up just four points away from home since the start of December, and their fragile defence against Leicester hinted at those struggles.

While Leicester looked rejuvenated after the international break, Stoke seemed more cautious. They struggled to find their feet as Leicester continued to press, and Gray and Riyad Mahrez were able to work the ball into the box with relative ease. When they attacked, they looked more solid, with Joe Allen twice sending well-flighted deliveries into the box, but their final touches lacked enough quality. The offside decision against Arnautovic came when Stoke were on top, pushing Leicester's defence, and they struggled to regain that fluency afterwards. It means Stoke have failed to score in four consecutive top-flight away games - their worst run since a five-match streak between January and March 2011.

Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti are the other four managers to win their first four Premier League matches in charge. Shakespeare is a more unassuming figure than some of those names but has undoubtedly had a positive effect on Leicester, with the Foxes showing more belief in their play. "I am proud of the record but I'm proud for everyone associated with the football club, especially the players," Shakespeare said after the match. He has overseen a turn in form that has seen Leicester reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League and begin to look more composed. Their defence still has moments of weakness but Leicester seem more controlled and more willing to attack. Gray's extra pace has lifted them while Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Shinji Okazaki seem to have found a fluidity that was missing for much of the season.