Tottenham Hotspur suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League defeat as Leicester City completed a stunning comeback to climb out of the relegation zone.
The Foxes, trailing 1-0 at half-time, scored twice in four minutes after the break through Jamie Vardy and Bilal El Khannouss to end a run of seven consecutive defeats in the Premier League.
Brazil striker Richarlison had opened the scoring for Spurs just after the half-hour mark, heading in a brilliant cross from defender Pedro Porro.
Leicester captain Vardy equalised from close range a minute into the second half when goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky failed to deal with Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s cross.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side were ahead four minutes later when midfielder El Khannouss curled in a fantastic effort from 25 yards into the bottom corner.
Spurs poured forward in search of an equaliser but their failure to find one means Ange Postecoglou’s side have won just one of their past 11 matches in the Premier League, leaving them in 15th.
Leicester’s win lifts the Foxes into 17th, one point above Wolves – who drop into the bottom three as a result.
Spurs fans turn on chairman Levy
The anger inside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was palpable before Leicester’s comeback.
Thursday’s 3-2 win against Hoffenheim in the Europa League had done little to alleviate the pressure on chairman Daniel Levy.
There were chants against Levy from the travelling support in Germany but the animosity towards him reached new levels in north London, as the home fans made their feelings known about the club’s progress – or lack of – under his stewardship.
As results have worsened over the past few weeks, the pressure has also increased on Postecoglou.
But it is clear, from the view of supporters at least, that they feel the problems at the club run far deeper.
If the chants were audible when Spurs were winning, they ramped up a notch or two as Leicester took a grip on the game.
The Foxes were in freefall before arriving in north London, with manager Van Nistelrooy said to be clinging on to his job.
That their victory appeared so comfortable is an indictment not only of Postecoglou, but of the team built by Levy.
While Postecoglou may be running out of credit – Spurs are 15th and have collected five points from the past 33 available – it was Levy who bore the brunt of supporters’ anger within the ground.
While results are the main reason for supporter fury, the inactivity of the club in the transfer window is only making things worse.
Czech goalkeeper Kinsky remains Spurs’ only signing of the January transfer window.
Postecoglou urged the club to show “urgency” in the market after the defeat by Everton last weekend.
With eight days left in the transfer window, both Postecoglou and Levy are in need of help.
Van Nistelrooy gets response – and result – he needed
If Postecoglou has been feeling the heat, spare a thought for Van Nistelrooy.
The Dutchman had guided Leicester to just one league victory in nine matches since taking the hot seat at King Power Stadium.
His Leicester side had lost seven league games on the bounce, and defeat in north London would have seen them match a club record of eight consecutive defeats, which was set in 2001.
Reports in the week claimed the former Manchester United forward had a bust-up with midfielder Facundo Buonanotte after the Foxes’ defeat by Fulham last week.
Put simply, the pressure was building.
Even with Spurs in the form they are in, few expected Leicester to leave the capital with three points.
But Van Nistelrooy got the performance – and consequently the result – he has been craving from his players.
The former PSV Eindhoven boss has been frustrated with individual errors and lapses in concentration in previous games, which he feels have undermined results.
But their display here was the full package for 97 minutes.
Vardy, 38, was a constant threat in behind and didn’t allow Spurs’ defence to build from the back when Leicester were out of possession.
He got his eighth goal of the season by gambling – as he always does – with a run into the six-yard box.
The former England striker celebrated like he did when he scored against Spurs in the reverse fixture earlier this season – pointing to the Premier League badge on his arm to remind supporters that he won the league title in 2016.
In goal, Jakub Stolarczyk made a number of saves in the first half to keep Leicester within striking distance.
It was notable that Van Nistelrooy made a beeline for the Polish goalkeeper on the pitch afterwards.
In truth, though, Spurs did not threaten the Leicester goal too much after the Foxes took the lead. Leicester dropped deeper and Spurs applied pressure, but at no point did it feel like an equaliser was inevitable.
Van Nistelrooy’s delight was clear. Not only had he managed to get a tune out of his players, but the result takes the Foxes out of the bottom three.