Leicester upset Benitez and marched straight to the title.

The Premier League leaders continued their winning streak with a 1-0 victory against Newcastle, a club desperate for points to avoid relegation.

Japanese player Okazaki (right) scored the only goal. Photo:Reuters.

Rafa Benitez, in his debut as Newcastle manager, couldn't immediately work wonders. The Magpies showed a desire to avoid relegation, but their playing style remained disorganized and not enough to pose a significant obstacle to Leicester's progress.

Shinji Okazaki's bicycle kick goal secured a narrow victory for the Foxes, giving them maximum points and a strong run toward the finish line. This was Claudio Ranieri's team's third 1-0 win in their last four matches.

Leicester resembles Chelsea in the early days under Jose Mourinho. Not flashy and spectacular, but rather hard-fought victories built on a solid defensive foundation. Chelsea once dominated the Premier League in this way, and another blue team is about to do the same. Alex Ferguson predicted Leicester could win the title three rounds before the end of the season. Those most skeptical of fairy tales should reconsider.

"The Foxes" maintain a five-point lead over second-placed Tottenham. And howArsenal are in third place with 11 points, having played one more game. There are eight rounds left in the season.

Okazaki's spectacular diving finish resulted in a stunning goal. Photo: AFP.

This wasn't a good game for Leicester, as manager Ranieri himself admitted after the match. The home team were under pressure in the opening minutes, then rallied to attack and score, before retreating to defense for the rest of the game. Okazaki's goal was Leicester's only shot on target.

The situation unfolded in the 25th minute from a free kick. Vardy won the ball after a clearance from the white-shirted defender, heading it to Okazaki who acrobatically struck the ball into the Newcastle net.

For the remainder of the match, the home team played according to their usual defensive counter-attacking strategy. Newcastle pushed forward looking for opportunities but failed to create any real scoring chances. Leicester maintained their one-goal lead until the end of the match.

Crystal Palace, who reached the FA Cup semi-finals, are Leicester's next opponent in their quest to make history. Palace, currently 15th in the table, also need points to secure their survival in the Premier League.

According to VNE