Jamie Vardy and James Maddison's first-half strikes gave Leicester City a comfortable 2-0 Premier League victory over Watford at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester raced into a two-goal lead inside 23 minutes on Saturday, Vardy converting a penalty he won himself from Ben Foster before Maddison scored a stunning goal to cap a classic counter-attack.
Watford struggled as an attacking force – failing to register a single shot on target – and Demarai Gray hit the post for Leicester in the closest either side came to a goal after the break, the day getting worse for the visitor when Etienne Capoue was sent off in the last minute.
Leicester move above its opponent as a result of a victory that meant it has now won all five of their Premier League home matches against Watford, conceding just once in the process.
The opener came after Ben Chilwell's throughball released Vardy, who was brought down as he tried to round Foster, referee Graham Scott pointing to the spot despite the goalkeeper's protests.
Vardy sent Foster the wrong way, and then helped Marc Albrighton to set up his side's second 11 minutes later.
A trademark Leicester counter-attack ended when Albrighton's cross was superbly controlled by Maddison in mid-air, the attacking midfielder then flicking the ball over defender Adrian Mariappa and firing in a tremendous volley from just inside the area.
Isaac Success, in as one of two changes, failed to mark his new Watford contract with a goal, firing over when it looked easier to score, while Roberto Pereyra shot just wide after the break.
Demarai Gray crashed an effort against the post for Leicester, while two squandered chances from Andre Gray were the only late openings of note at the other end before Capoue saw red for a two-footed challenge on substitute Kelechi Iheanacho, who Watford felt was the one who should have been penalised.
What does it mean? Two teams trending in opposite directions
Leicester's win moves it just one point above Watford in the table, but the two teams are trending in very different directions.
The host is unbeaten in five league games, its best run for a year, while Watford has only collected one point from four games – not a sequence that will please Javi Gracia, who signed a new long-term contract earlier this week.
Leicester always a threat with Vardy and Maddison
Vardy scored as a substitute against Brighton last week, and marked his return to the Premier League starting line-up with an excellent all-round display leading the line here.
Maddison, meanwhile, got his season back on track in style – scoring for the first time since September 22 in a game he was fortunate to play in having been sent off against Brighton and serving his suspension in a rearranged EFL Cup tie with Southampton.
Foster foul gives Watford mountain to climb
Vardy may have been clever winning his penalty, but Foster's complaints over the decision were not warranted. The veteran keeper conceded from Leicester's only two shots on target, and his 12th-minute faux pas bringing down the striker was the last thing Watford needed when goals are proving so hard to come by in recent weeks.
What's next?
Leicester has an emotional match away to its former title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri and Fulham on Wednesday, a day after Watford hosts champion Manchester City – hardly an ideal fixture as it looks to reverse its recent slump.
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