Islam Slimani ensured Leicester City ended a dream 2016 with a much-needed 1-0 victory over West Ham at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes completed a scarcely believable Premier League title triumph last season, but a run of just one win in nine league outings had left Claudio Ranieri s men just three points above the drop zone prior to Saturday s match.
However, the champions will enter 2017 with a welcome confidence boost, thanks to Slimani s thumping 20th-minute header from Marc Albrighton s teasing cross.
Slimani had already hit the post for the Foxes, who survived a scare towards the end of the first half when Michail Antonio rattled the crossbar and Dimitri Payet s free-kick was well saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
West Ham had Leicester pinned back for…