Leicester City pulled six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone as Islam Slimani's header ended West Ham United's three-match winning run. Slimani had already headed against the post when he nodded home Marc Albrighton's excellent cross. Home keeper Kasper Schmeichel twice denied Dimitri Payet with fine saves, while Michail Antonio hammered a shot against the Leicester bar. Schmeichel also did well to keep out Aaron Creswell's deflected free-kick as champions Leicester ended a momentous 2016 with a first clean sheet in 12 league games.
The win lifts the Foxes one place to 15th, while West Ham's first league defeat since 3 December means they drop from 11th to 13th. Will the real Leicester please stand up? Leicester chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha rewarded the club's older fans with a free beer before the game. It was not to drown their sorrows despite a poor first half to the season, but to reward them for their backing during a historic year in which the 5,000-1 outsiders won the title.. And many of the ingredients that contributed to the Foxes being crowned champions were back on display in their final game of 2016.
Leicester have been accused of looking ragged and lacking in ideas lately, but against West Ham they were hungry, determined and energetic. They tore into their opponents, in the first half in particular, and gave their fans hope they will not spend 2017 embroiled in a relegation fight. Several Leicester players produced potential man-of-the-match performances. Schmeichel was influential as Leicester kept a first clean sheet in the league since 2 October - his save to keep out Cresswell's set-piece, which deflected off Ben Chilwell, the highlight. Danny Drinkwater drove the midfield, Albrighton's crosses caused West Ham repeated problems, and Slimani was a serious threat throughout.
And playmaker Riyad Mahrez, dropped to the bench for the defeat by Everton on 26 December, marked his return with a performance more like those he produced with such regularity last season. He forced a fingertip save from Darren Randolph in the second minute and later had a free-kick superbly kept out by the West Ham keeper. His gritty performance typified Leicester's display. Boss Claudio Ranieri will want more like this from the Algeria winger, but his Boxing Day rest may yet prove a blessing in disguise. West Ham had 25 shots, yet failed to score in a Premier League game for the first time since 30 October. They were made to pay for their poor start, and Leicester should have been 2-0 up before Slimani's goal.
Manager Slaven Bilic should not be too alarmed, but one defeat could quickly turn into two if they are not firing on all cylinders against Manchester United on Monday. This was a game punctured by countless fouls and eight yellow cards. Both teams could have been reduced to 10 men - Daniel Amartey cut short Mark Noble's afternoon with a nasty tackle, while Havard Nordtveit was fortunate not to see red after a ridiculously high challenge on Chilwell.
Man of the match - Marc Albrighton (Leicester). Leicester's Marc Albrighton in action against West Ham. Marc Albrighton created the winner with a glorious cross for Islam Slimani and had already fashioned a chance for the striker when he hit the post early on 'Grit, determination, everything' Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri: "I am very proud because we made a clean sheet - finally. "The result is very good for everybody here in Leicester, and of course it is very good for the team.
Important to end 2016 with a win - Ranieri. "We needed the crowd's support, and when I called them they were together with us. The support of our fans is very important." Leicester City midfielder Marc Albrighton: "Grit, determination, everything - we showed it in abundance and we need to build on this result in the new year. "It's no secret that we're not in a place that we want to be at the moment, but the performance was tremendous." West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "They started better and deserved to score but after that we were really good. We were just missing that final touch. "We gave everything so it is a shame and a frustration, but we played good."
