Shortly after giving Leicester City the lead, Riyad Mahrez tore off in pursuit of Kamil Grosicki, sprinting after the Hull City winger in an attempt to stop him breaking clear down the left flank. Danny Simpson had sold himself and Grosicki was threatening to break clear near the halfway line. Mahrez, however, was determined not to let him advance any further, chasing back, covering for his floundering team-mate and dispossessing Grosicki. The crowd applauded. So did Simpson.

It might have been a throwaway moment on another day. Yet in the context of Leicester City’s season, it felt like another sign that the spirit that made them the most improbable of champions is returning. There will, of course, be disgusted moral arbiters who will only see further evidence of players who downed tools under the betrayed and undermined Claudio Ranieri, the cuddly Italian whose sacking was met with an outpouring of righteous fury. Another way of assessing the situation is that a confident team is a happy team.

Craig Shakespeare, Ranieri’s former assistant, has surely passed his audition in his role as interim manager. Successive 3-1 wins over Liverpool and Hull have lifted Leicester five points clear of the bottom three and Shakespeare, whose team impressed in front of the chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and his son and vice-chairman, Aiyawatt, will meet the club’s owners this week and is expected to remain in charge for the remainder of the season. Leicester are heading to Dubai for a few days of warm-weather training and the owners will be there, too.

There is no need to downplay Ranieri’s achievements last season. Nor should Leicester give an unproven and inexperienced caretaker a long-term contract because of a couple of positive results. However, whereas Ranieri’s constant chopping and changing led to confusion as the champions slid towards peril, Shakespeare has won over his players by going back to basics. They would welcome his appointment.

“We are very good at doing the simple things,” Danny Drinkwater said. “There is no reason to complicate it. He is simplifying what he can, which is helping a lot. We will support any manager who comes in but every player probably knows Shakes more than anyone else. If he does get it then it would be a good fit. We have known him a few years and a few of us have known him a long time. If he does we will support him all the way.”

Leicester played like a team affronted by reports of the board speaking to Roy Hodgson about replacing Ranieri. Although they fell behind when Sam Clucas finished off a flowing Hull counterattack, their response was resounding. This season Leicester had not won in the league after conceding the opening goal. Nor had they enjoyed back-to-back victories. Yet they hunted the ball aggressively, pressing high, and Jamie Vardy, who gave Andrea Ranocchia a torrid time, created the equaliser for Christian Fuchs.

Just before the hour, Mahrez twisted and turned so much it looked as though he was trying to turn back the clocks to last year. Eventually the Algerian’s skill earned him a shooting opportunity with his weaker right foot and he scored his first league goal from open play since last April. “Everyone knows his ability,” Drinkwater said. “It is unbelievable and the more we can get him on the ball the better.”

Tom Huddlestone’s late own-goal killed off Hull, who are four points adrift of 17th-placed Crystal Palace. The visitors were disappointing and tougher tests await Leicester, starting with Sevilla in the Champions League on 14 March. Shakespeare insisted he had not let himself think about the visit of the Spanish club, even though Leicester would progress to the last eight with a 1-0 win.

Shakespeare said his focus for now was on Dubai. He is learning on the job. As the No2, he existed in the background. Now he is the bad guy who has to drop players.

“I was the one before putting my arm round them,” he said. “But I can still do that at the right times. Has it been difficult? Not really. I’m clear in my mind the way I want to go with the team and the selection. I won’t be frightened if ever I have to change it.

“But the human side is important as well. The players want to see you can talk to them. I’ve tried to be measured because I think it’s important for players to see that. They also need to see a bit of passion – but I didn’t feel under pressure.”