Jamie Vardy at the double as Leicester City put five past Steve Bruce's woeful Newcastle United

Leicester powered to third in the Premier League with a 5-0 demolition of 10-man Newcastle that piled the pressure on Magpies manager Steve Bruce. Brendan Rodgers' side maintained their impressive start to the season as they romped to a fourth win in their last five league games. Ricardo Pereira opened the scoring in the first half before Newcastle's Isaac Hayden was sent off for a dangerous tackle. Leicester ran riot in the second half as Jamie Vardy struck either side of Paul Dummett's own goal. Wilfred Ndidi rounded off Leicester's biggest league win since Rodgers arrived from Celtic to replace Claude Puel in February, leaving them just two points behind second placed Manchester City. Rodgers' appointment has proved an inspired move and Leicester look capable of challenging for a top four finish, especially given the inconsistent form of Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea. Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles pulled no punches after the match. "Terrible from the boys. It is no one's fault but ourselves," he said. "We have had a rollicking off the gaffer and we really need to look at ourselves in the mirror. You have to make it hard for them. It is not good enough. "It doesn't matter what manager you have, but you have to have pride yourself and ensure you win your duels. We really need to sit down and look back at that. The gaffer wont let us have our heads down too much and it wont have an effect on other games." Newcastle were the only team to win a league game at the King Power Stadium since Rodgers took charge. In that match, Ayoze Perez – who joined Leicester in the summer and helped rip apart his old club on Sunday – scored the winner, Solomon Rondon was leading the line and Rafael Benitez was manager. All three have now gone and Newcastle look a shadow of that team under Bruce. After this woeful display, they sit second bottom of the table and have won only once in their first seven league matches. Mike Ashley's decision to hire Bruce from Sheffield Wednesday was greeted with disdain by Newcastle fans and the under-fire 58-year-old already appears to be fighting to save his job. With Ashley still being linked with a deal to sell Newcastle, Bruce could be gone before a regime change or very soon after unless results improve quickly. James Maddison was absent for Leicester because of an ankle injury, with the midfielder's place going to Dennis Praet in the only change from last week's 2-1 win over Tottenham. Even without Maddison, Leicester were quickly into their stride as Perez tested Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka. The visitors could have been ahead against the run of play when Hayden drilled a low cross towards Yoshinori Muto, but the Japanese forward scuffed woefully wide. Rodgers' team made the most of that escape to take the lead in the 16th minute. Portugal right-back Pereira has earned a reputation for lung-bursting surges that can unhinge opposing defences and once again he was too hot for Newcastle to handle. Playing a one-two with Perez, Pereira surged towards the Newcastle area unchecked by the visitors' defence before firing a fine finish into the bottom corner for his second goal in his last two games. As rain lashed down, Bruce already cut a bedraggled figure on the touchline. But his day got even worse in the 43rd minute when Hayden was sent off for a reckless studs-up lunge on Praet that left the Leicester midfielder crumpled on the turf. Leicester had already beaten Newcastle on penalties in the League Cup this season and Rodgers' side were on course for a far more convincing success by the 54th minute. Praet picked out Harvey Barnes and cushioned a first-time pass over the top into the path of Vardy, whose low shot evaded Dubravka's poor attempt to save at his near post. Vardy's fourth goal of the season was followed by Leicester's third of the day three minutes later. Praet advanced down the right and his shot was turned into his own net by Newcastle defender Dummett. With Newcastle in disarray, Vardy netted again after 64 minutes when he met Marc Albrighton's cross with a clinical header at the far post. Leicester showed no mercy to Bruce and Ndidi turned swiftly to fire home in the 90th minute. Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers described it as a "great day" for his team. "It was very good performance in lots of aspects," he said. "You've got to defend well, our pressing was good, there was a hunger in our game."

Jamie Vardy at the double as Leicester City put five past Steve Bruce's woeful Newcastle United

Fabulous Foxes up to third in Premier League, while pressure ramps up on Magpies manager after miserable performance