Jamie Vardy scored one of the goals of the season before adding a second from close range as Leicester completed a 2-0 win over Liverpool at the King Power Stadium.

The England forward scored his 17th Premier League goal of the season with a stunning volley on the hour mark from around 30 yards that left visiting goalkeeper Simon Mignolet with no chance as it flew over his head, before adding his 18th of the season from close range 11 minutes later after Shinji Okazaki deflected shot had spilt into his path.

Watched by an excited England coach Roy Hodgson, Vardy's goal made the difference after Liverpool had opened the second half largely on top, but the visitors again lacked any bite to their possession.

The forward is the Premier League's top scorer with 18 from 24 matches in what is turning into an incredible season personally and for his team.

The Gunners have failed to win their last four Premier League matches and haven't scored in their previous three following Tuesday night's stalemate with Southampton

Fourth in the Premier League table and booed by their own supporters at full-time - it is almost as though Arsenal were aware that February 2nd is Groundhog Day.

This was a painful night for the Gunners as they drew 0-0 with Southampton while the rest of the top six all won their matches. It was the Arsenal of old, the team we’ve grown so used to over the last decade, not potential champions.

In a crazy Premier League season, a point against Southampton does not signal the end of Arsenal’s title ambitions, but it feels like the trophy is slipping from their grasp.

At the turn of the year they seemed favourites to win their first title since 2004 but they have now failed to win any of their last four Premier League fixtures. It makes Sunday’s trip to Bournemouth a must-win game.

Arsenal have finished fourth in six of the last 10 seasons and have traditionally found themselves competing for the Champions League places rather than the league title.

They are entrenched in familiar territory now, as close to fifth-placed Manchester United as they are to leaders Leicester. Wenger rules out John Terry signing. It is often said that it is a sign of champions to play badly and win.

Arsenal did almost the opposite here as they missed several glorious chances and on another day might have scored four or five.

The hosts came up against a goalkeeper in inspired form as Fraser Forster continually kept Arsenal at bay as the last line of a stubborn Southampton defence.

Twice in the first-half he kept out Mesut Ozil with stunning saves and he continued after the break to deny Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott.

As Arsene Wenger irately jumped around his technical area, his players could not find a way through. Even when Alexis managed to beat Forster, his shot was cleared off the line by James Ward-Prowse.

But Arsenal cannot blame bad luck. There is something deeper, an inherent mental fragility, about a predictable wobble when they were so well poised to challenge for the title.

We were told that this year was supposed to be different after back-to-back FA Cup victories.