Ranieri hopes to see new Vardy after goal drought ends

REUTERS - Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is hoping that Jamie Vardy's goal for England against Spain on Tuesday, which ended a 14-match goal drought for the striker, will inspire him to recapture the form he showed last season.

Vardy has not scored for his club since early September and has netted just three times in 17 appearances for them this season, a stark contrast to last term when his 24 goals powered the Foxes to an unprecedented Premier League title.

"I never lost confidence in Jamie Vardy. I have managed a lot of goal-scorers. It's not possible to score all the time. I tried to help him, just to break the unluckiness," Ranieri told reporters on Thursday.

"Finally he broke the ice. It was important for him and for everybody....I think it will be a new Vardy."

Leicester, who are 14th in the table, two points above the relegation zone after 11 games, visit eighth-placed Watford on Saturday.

"When I look at the table I'm not satisfied. Only with hard work can we change it. We have to be confident, strong and solid together. Last season has finished," he said.

(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Brian Homewood)