Leicester City right back Danny Simpson admitted he was over the moon to see England international Jamie Vardy end his recent goal drought.

Vardy scored his first Champions League goal in Leicester’s 2-1 defeat against Sevilla on Wednesday night – he had been nine games without finding the net.

A series of excellent saves from Kasper Schmeichel, including one from the penalty spot, kept Leicester in the tie in the first half and Simpson believes his side have a chance of progressing.

“I’m happy for Vards, he deserved his goal and worked his socks off again,” Simpson said.

“It was a great cross and that’s where he wants the ball putting – then he’ll score. It was us from last season and, at 2-0 down away at a place like this, we kept going and we knew how important that goal would be.

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“We’ve given ourselves a really good chance back home. These are the nights you want to play in.

“It’s a special place to come and it’s the Champions League. You want to perform every week. We had to defend well tonight and we did. I love making those tackles and I love defending.

“We have to remember they’re a very good team and that away goal is very important for us. The way we performed and worked for Leicester City and the fans was massive for us.”

Sunderland midfielder Seb Larsson is plotting his side’s latest escape from the Premier League’s relegation zone, beginning from Saturday’s visit to Everton.

After a goalless draw with Spurs and a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace, Larsson berated Sunderland’s slack defending in a 4-0 defeat to Southampton, admitting the first goal will be crucial for his side at Goodison Park.

Larsson said: “It is a tough run of games starting with Everton but, looking back at previous seasons, at this stage strange things start to happen.

“We have picked up many points in games where people haven’t backed us to, so let’s hope that can happen again.

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“We feel like if we can get in front we can stay solid and stay strong. We are tough to break down but, unfortunately, a few too many times we have gone behind and not been strong enough to turn things around so that is something we have to improve.”

Despite being rock bottom of the league, the Black Cats are just two points from safety and Larsson admits the squad is confident of beating the drop come the end of this season.

He added: “The belief is there that we are going to sort this situation out and stay in the league.

“It is going to be tough, we realise where we are but we have been in worse positions so we won’t stop fighting until the end.”

Striker Tammy Abraham has been pulling up trees in the Championship with loan side Bristol City this term, but his progress is certainly not being overlooked back at parent club Chelsea.

The England Under-21 international has hit 21 goals in all competitions, the bulk of them coming before the turn of the year.

Abraham is one of 37 players out on loan throughout Europe as well as the English football pyramid.

But, he feels far from ignored as Chelsea chase down the Premier League title.

“It’s nice to have that support behind you (from Chelsea) to tell you how well you’re doing, even when you need improvements,” said the 19-year-old.

“For them to come and watch your games and give you feedback, it’s nice to know that people know how well you’re doing and what you’re doing as well.

“It’s been good from my point, scoring goals and improving different aspects of my game. It’s been a good learning curve for me.

“The amount of games is the big thing. It comes around so fast in the Championship, playing on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so it’s about how you prepare your body and getting into the right mindset to cope with the games coming up – that’s been the biggest challenge so far.

“I set myself a target of 30 goals at the beginning of the year, I’m not too far off but I’m still aiming high.”

Youngster Ademola Lookman is a hidden weapon for Everton, according to veteran defender Ashley Williams.

The 19-year-old was snapped up for £11 million from League One Charlton Athletic in January, and made an instant impact by scoring within minutes of his debut, bagging the Toffees’ fourth goal in a 4-0 demolition of Manchester City.

The teenager was playing non-league football with Waterloo FC just three years ago, before signing with Charlton and rising through the youth ranks to their first team.

He scored 12 times in 49 appearances for the Addicks before making his move to the Premier League.

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And Wales skipper Williams, 32, believes Lookman’s relatively low profile can work to Everton’s advantage, as defenders do not know what to expect from the young forward.

“Ademola has really good potential but he is also ready to play in the first team already,” said Williams.

“He has a lot to learn, everyone does at that age, but he has made an impact already and given us something different that we didn’t have.

“He is a bit of a wild card. Teams don’t know him so well.

“He is a nice lad as well and has got his head down, worked hard every day and is listening.”

Midfielder Ashley Westwood insists Burnley will not let their shock Emirates FA Cup fifth round upset against non-league Lincoln City derail their season.

Westwood, 26, was part of the side that were knocked out by Danny Cowley’s giant-killing Imps at Turf Moor on Saturday.

The Clarets are 12^th in the Premier League, 10 points clear of the relegation zone, with all but one of their 30 points coming at home.

They travel to a rejuvenated Hull City on Saturday, and Westwood, who arrived from Aston Villa in January, said the minds of players and management have been fully focused on getting three points against the Tigers.

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“We had a little talk on Monday and it was ‘concentrate fully on the Premier League’,” Westwood said.
“That was always the aim for this club, to stay in the Premier League, and we have put ourselves in a great position.

“We are out of it at the minute and we want to be pushing up and looking above, rather than what’s below us.

“We have put ourselves in a great position, but we are not getting carried away.

“It’s another tough game against Hull on Saturday. This Premier League is the toughest in the world and for Burnley to be where they are right now is a great achievement.”

Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic has issued a relegation warning to his squad ahead of a crucial run of fixtures that could decide their place in the Premier League.

Hull host Burnley this weekend before they take on fellow strugglers Leicester City and Swansea in consecutive matches.

But, Jakupovic knows that his side must capitalise on their chance to move out of the bottom three this weekend.

“We have to continue as now come the bigger games for us,” said Jakupovic.

“We played the last four games against big teams and now we’re playing against the teams where we should take points. If we can continue like we did against Arsenal and Liverpool, we have a big hope.

(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

“We took four points from the four games against the big teams as we believed in ourselves. Every point we got was a bonus but now it’s Burnley. We have to play the same as we did against the big teams.”

Despite some impressive results against the league’s top sides, Hull still languish in 18th place, just a point away from safety, but the Swiss keeper insists his side can deal with the pressure.

He said: “The pressure is going to be there but we know our goals and we will work hard. Everything is still possible.”

Gareth McAuley is planning a career in coaching when he finally hangs up his boots and the West Bromwich Albion defender says his main ambition is to help more young players realise their dreams.

The veteran Northern Irishman is still a vital part of Tony Pulis’ thriving side, and is showing no signs of slowing down despite turning 37 last month.

West Brom are enjoying an excellent campaign and sit eighth in the Premier League table, with McAuley a key part in their success so far.

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But he knows he cannot play forever and is already planning his next move.

“I’ve got my boy, he’s six, he’s playing now. I go along and watch him and I see all the other kids developing. The number of kids who are playing in this area is fantastic,” he said.

“But only a small number actually make it through into the professional game.

“It would be nice to help somebody when they’re younger and see them go on and have a career.

“I know the people that did that for me have been really proud of me and it’s given them a bit of fulfilment.”

Sam Allardyce believes Crystal Palace have the quality to survive in the Premier League but admits they need to fight harder in order to preserve their top-flight status.

The Eagles are 19^th in the table, two points from safety following their 1-0 loss at Stoke City two weeks ago.

This weekend they host fellow strugglers Middlesbrough in a crunch clash, with the North East side struggling for goals and victories.

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And former England boss Allardyce has urged his side to tighten up at the back and scrap for their lives in the final three months of the campaign.

“It’s not about the technical side of the game, there are a lot of very good technical players here,” Allardyce said.

“It’s about us fighting a bit harder, fighting for the cause and being more determined to get results. It is about results now over performances.

“The game has always been about results over performances really; if you can play attractive football and win, that’s a bonus, but if you can’t, we’re in a results business.

“If you can’t win, don’t lose and if we’d done that more often we wouldn’t be in the difficult situation we’re in now.”

Manchester City hero Sergio Aguero has downplayed suggestions of a rift with boss Pep Guardiola, insisting their relationship is as strong as ever.

Having lost his place in City’s starting line-up to Gabriel Jesus in recent weeks, Aguero returned to spearhead their 5-3 Champions League victory over Monaco on Tuesday night with two second-half goals.

Questions had been raised as to how the Argentine fitted into Guardiola’s plans, before he was recalled to the side following an injury to Jesus against Bournemouth last week.

And while he is the first to admit he faces heavy demands from his boss, Aguero insists he has no plans to leave the Etihad any time soon.

(Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

“The truth is we get on very well,” he said. 

“What he wants, above everything, from all the players is that we push a little more. He’s always asking me for more, more, more.

“Obviously, it’s a sacrifice I have to make, that we all have to make, and fortunately it worked [on Tuesday] and we’ll see if it keeps working in the next game.

“I’ve always said I want to be here at the club, I’ve always said that at the end of the season it won’t be my decision.

“The truth is that with these things it’s the club that handles everything, and obviously it’s always my intention to stay.”

Everton were one of many Premier League clubs to take in a warm-weather training camp following an early FA Cup exit and Ademola Lookman claims the trip was invaluable for him especially.

Having suffered a 2-1 defeat to Leicester City in the FA Cup third round in early January, Everton were without a match last weekend – and Ronald Koeman took his troops to Dubai for five days.

Far from a jolly, the aim of the training camp was to bring the squad closer together, something young forward Lookman believes was accomplished.

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And the former Charlton Athletic star, who moved to Goodison Park from the Valley in January, says he now knows his Toffees team-mates far better ahead of a crucial run to the end of the season.

“I got to know them and they got to know me,” explained Lookman. “I’ve only just joined in January and I feel like I’m even more part of the team now, which is good.

“It takes some adapting but I’ve been doing that on the training pitch every single day. I’ve adapted well and with time I’ll adapt even more and become better as a player.

“Dubai was very beneficial [for the squad]. We have quite a few fixtures coming up and to be able to perform in those to the highest level, you have to be 100 per cent every day.

“I believe that the Dubai training camp gave us that little bit extra that we needed.”