Jamie Vardy secures a draw for Leicester City in their return to the Premier League.

A typical Jamie Vardy goal, in typically adverse Jamie Vardy circumstances, earned Leicester a point after Pedro Porro had put a dominant Tottenham in front.

Vardy, now 37, only persuaded his body to play because Patson Daka was injured, but no one will be surprised that once there, he made his presence felt.

Looking at the teams before kick-off it was hard to envisage how this could be a contest, and the first half was not: Spurs dominated from start to finish. But they created relatively few chances and had to settle for just one goal, Porro trying with a back header and succeeding with his back, sending James Maddison’s teasing cross past Mads Hermansen.

There was no sense whatsoever that Leicester could take something from the game, but they were more aggressive after the break, both in and out of possession. Nevertheless, an equaliser did not look imminent and then one arrived, Vardy heading home after good work from Victor Kristiansen and Issahaku Fatawu.

After that Leicester were the better side, Vardy missing the kind of chance he has made a career out of snaffling. But then Rodrigo Bentancur sustained a head injury, the match stopped for nine minutes, and never quite reigned its momentum – thankfully Bentancur is now sitting up and talking.

So Spurs return to London wondering quite how they managed to avoid winning while Leicester, haunted by the spectre of points deduction, may feel just a little more optimistic about the season ahead.

Talking point – What are Spurs lacking?

It’s been a while, but Spurs are now Spurs again. After the abortive Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte experiments, they are back dropping points they shouldn’t while playing attractive football, and this thing of ours is much the better for it.

Ange Postecoglou, though, is building something. He has a solid back four with scope to still improve; his midfield is solid and not without craft; he has a focal-point centre-forward to some extent proven in the Premier League.

Strangely, what might be missing from the squad is the kind of magic traditionally associated with Tottenham sides, many of them far less good than this one. James Maddison is their only lock-picker, and it’d be hard to argue he’s close to those best at it. Perhaps Mikey Moore will mature into that player, but finding someone able to deliver the unexpected feels like the next step for this team – if we agree to stick tonight’s collective mini-collapse into the amnesty box.

Player of the match – Jamie Vardy (Leicester)

He barely featured, but every single Spurs player shrunk after Vardy scored, taking each of them out of the running for this imaginary award, and meaning this was the game’s key moment – until the goal, nothing but an away win seemed possible.

Player ratings

Leicester City:
Hermansen 6, Justin 6, Faes 5, Vestergaard 6, Kristiansen 7, Ndidi 6, Winks 6, Fatawu 7, Buonanotte 6, De Cordova-Reid 6, Vardy 7.
Subs: Mavididi 6, Soumare 6, McAteer 6.

Tottenham Hotspur:
Vicario 6, Porro 7, Romero 6, Van de Ven 6, Udogie 6, Sarr 5, Bentancur 6, Maddison 6, Johnson 5, Solanke 6, Son 6.
Subs: Gray 6, Kulusevski 6, Werner 6, Bergvall 6, Spence 6, Richarlison 6.

Key stat

Key moments