Claude Puel Jokes Why Jamie Vardy Mysteriously Disappeared Down the Tunnel During Leicester Defeat

Leicester City manager Claude Puel joked that Jamie Vardy sprinted off the pitch and down the tunnel in the latter stages of the Premier League defeat to Arsenal because he was still upset about the penalty the Foxes were denied earlier in the evening.

The Gunners eventually ran out 3-1 winners at the Emirates Stadium on Monday after coming from a goal behind thanks to a Mesut Ozil masterclass. However, the game could have panned out differently had Leicester been given a penalty early on in the tie.  

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Arsenal's Rob Holding appeared to handle the ball in the box in front of referee Chris Kavanagh, and despite the Foxes' protests no spot kick was awarded, with the game was delicately placed at 0-0 with the defender already on a booking.

Puel was frustrated with the turn of events in his post match press conference, but he still had time for some humour after linking Vardy's sudden departure down the tunnel to the referee's decision.

The Leicester manager clarified Vardy had a stomach complaint as he told reporters, via the Leicester Mercury: “Jamie was ill and he could not come back out. You need to speak with him [to see when his illness came on].

“I think it started in the second half. He couldn’t digest the penalty decision.”

"I am angry about it because of all the good work by my players. I thought it was a penalty, we saw this from the bench. All the people in the stadium saw this was a penalty - it was handball.

"It is not possible to have another decision other than a penalty, and also it was another yellow card and sending off.

"I didn't speak to the referee afterwards because it is finished and we can't come back with another decision. But I regret this decision because all the people in the stadium saw this decision was wrong." 

The defeat at the Emirates was Leicester's second in succession and to return to the Premier League's winners board they will need to overcome West Ham on Saturday at the King Power.