Riyad Mahrez scores hat-trick as Leicester go two clear at the top. but Jamie Vardy run ends

Jamie Vardy's record run of goals came to an end but Riyad Mahrez plundered a hat-trick as Leicester City beat Swansea City 3-0 away.

Having broken the Premier League record last week, Vardy went into Saturday's game looking to score in his 12th consecutive game to equal the English top-flight record, held by Jimmy Dunne for Sheffield United back in the 1931-32 season. The pressure on Swansea manager Garry Monk was for very different reasons, with his team lingering towards the bottom of the wrong half of the table and without a home win for the last five league games. But it was not to be Vardy or Monk’s day.

Despite two early goals, courtesy of Mahrez, it was an undeniably dull first half, in no small part thanks to Swansea, who could not keep hold of the ball. This was not helped by the complete absence of assistance up front whenever Swansea looked like they might have a chance. Swansea’s routine giveaway of the ball became horribly predictable, with Kasper Schmeichel hardly batting an eyelid.

Swansea looked a little better in the second half, exerting a slightly greater presence in the box, but despite chances for Bafetimbi Gomis and Gylfi Sigurdsson there was no coming back from Mahrez's third goal and fresh questions will be asked of Monk's position.

It was a comfortable win for the Foxes as they continued their incredible season, taking them two points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table thanks to Man City's defeat at the hands of Stoke City, though there is no doubt the scoreline could have been higher.

4' - GOAL! Mahrez finds the net (we think it was Mahrez not Gomis) after a scuffle in the box

22' - GOAL! No it's not Vardy... It's Mahrez again for Leicester, a great ball from Kante even if Mahrez was offside...

51' - CHANCE: Mahrez decides to have another go at the goal rather than passing it to either of the players to his left (including Vardy). It's nowhere near. He must really want that hat-trick.

67' - GOAL! A great run by Kante down the middle, feeds the ball to Vardy and in turn to Mahrez who strikes the bottom corner to gets that hat trick

76' - CHANCE: Gomis was in a good position to socre there, picking up the pace, but it strikes Schmeichel's chest - the first save he's had to make this match.

Riyard Mahrez became the first Algerian player to score a Premier League hat-trick.

Indeed, Mahrez has now been involved in 16 Premier League goals this season (10 goals, 6 assists) – a record only team-mate Jamie Vardy can match (14 goals, 2 assists).

The midfielder became only the third Leicester player to score a Premier League hat-trick, after Ian Marshall and Stan Collymore.

Time's up for Monk? The Swansea manager might have been relieved that Vardy's failure to score was in the limelight today, but there will be no escaping further scrutiny after that performance. Swansea seemed unable to keep hold of the ball when they took possession, and you might be forgiven for wondering where all the players were with little sight of them in attack either. Swansea remain on 14 points in 15th place, but with only three league wins this season, Monk's future at the club looks less and less certain.

Riyad Mahrez (Leicester): Arguably a little greedy at times, Mahrez proved it wasn't just the Vardy show, today, scoring a hat-trick to bring his number of goals up to a very respectable 11 so far this season.

Swansea: Fabianski 6; Naughton 6; Bartley 6; Williams 6; Taylor 6; Britton 6; Ki Sung-Yueng 7; Sigurdsson 7; Ayew 7; Routledge 7; Gomis 7. Subs: Cork 6; Montero 6; Barrow 7.

Leicester: Schmeichel 7; Simpson; Huth 7; Morgan 6; Fuchs 7; Mahrez 9; Kante 7; Drinkwater 8; Albrighton 7; Ulloa 7; Vardy 7. Subs: King NA; Schlupp NA;