Age no barrier for Jamie Vardy, says Leicester team-mate Marc Albrighton

Leicester winger Marc Albrighton has backed team-mate Jamie Vardy to keep getting better with age after the forward played a key role in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Norwich.

The former England international grabbed the opener in the eighth minute at Carrow Road, curling home after a slick move for his second goal of the season.

While the Canaries responded strongly and equalised through Teemu Pukki’s first-half penalty, it was the visitors who clinched all three points when Vardy spotted Albrighton in space on the right and found the winger, who rifled home in the 76th minute.

It is usually the other way round with the Foxes wide man assisting the 34-year-old, but creativity is another quality being added to the skillset of the forward, who continues to age like fine wine.

“His weight of pass and vision was absolutely incredible so my job was to stick it in the net once it got to me, which luckily I did and that won us the game,” Albrighton told the official club website.

“On the bus going there he did say he was going to lay one on a plate for me so he did call it and it has come true.

“I don’t know if Vards is psychic or not but he has a lot of quality. Even at the age he is now, he doesn’t seem to be ageing on the pitch.

“He has had to change his game in certain areas but he has and that pass – it is the weight of pass. It will go unnoticed but not by people who know the game and especially his team-mates.”

The away win for Brendan Rodgers’ side saw them bounce back from a disappointing 4-1 loss at West Ham on Monday after Ayoze Perez was sent off before half-time.

Albrighton replaced the attacker in the starting XI at Norwich and helped the Foxes make it two wins out of three in the Premier League but they will have to improve after the international break when champions Manchester City visit King Power Stadium.

He added: “Our spirit was there in abundance. We probably didn’t play as well as we could and I will be the first to admit we were sloppy at times but if we can tidy that side up – we have spirit, desire and work-ethic.

“There are improvements to be made but we have a couple of weeks now until the next game so we will be ready.”

It was another defeat for Norwich, but they showed big progress compared to the display they produced at the Etihad Stadium the previous weekend.

Brandon Williams, who joined on loan from Manchester United on Monday, believes Daniel Farke’s men will be in a good place to get off the mark when they return to action with a trip to Arsenal next month.

“I am really happy that the manager had trust in me to play and I hope I can bring some results,” the 20-year-old told BBC Sport.

“We have got competition all over and that is important with a squad with such a long season.

“We are getting better with each game, I think the international break gives the boys a chance to clear their heads and hopefully we can come back against Arsenal and get points on the board.”

– Meanwhile, Norwich winger Onel Hernandez has joined Middlesbrough on loan for the rest of the season.

The Cuba international is a two-time promotion winner with City, and Boro boss Neil Warnock said: “He’s just the type of player we’ve been looking for.”