Leicester level with Arsenal after City draw

Leicester City missed a great chance to top the Premier League, but would’ve been pleased with a high-octane 0-0 home draw against Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Leicester City missed a great chance to top the Premier League, but would’ve been pleased with a high-octane 0-0 home draw against a powerful Manchester City on Tuesday night.

The Foxes drew level with Arsenal on 39 points, but stay in second position on goal difference as the Gunners have a three-goal advantage.

But Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester can be happy about scoring a point after City dominated the opening half-hour and could easily have been two or three ahead at the King Power Stadium.

Wingers Aleksandar Kolarov and Bacary Sagna provided excellent width throughout with their pace and power, but their final cross often didn’t reach their intended targets.

Kevin de Bruyne did hit the mark, though, when he was released by Raheem Sterling in the 18th minute, but Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel – son of Manchester United legend Peter – got two hands to it to deny the Belgian international.

But Leicester clawed their way back into the game, with Algerian star Riyad Mahrez the instigator. Mahrez won the ball off Kolarov near the City penalty area and showed terrific pace and skill to beat a few defenders to get goal-side. He fired a rasping shot from the edge of the box, but it flew just over the top.

City’s strong defensive line of Sagna, Kolarov, Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi – supplemented by the commanding presence of Yaya Toure – bottled up Leicester’s strike sensation Jamie Vardy with ease as Ranieri opted to play just one forward until the last 20 minutes.

Sterling found an opening in the Leicester defence with a volley in the 27th minute, but Schmeichel was again up to the task, turning the shot away from goal.

But then came Leicester’s best chance of the night when Vardy received a through-ball from the hard-working Danny Drinkwater, who had won the ball off Fernandinho. Vardy, though, inexplicably blasted over the top in a one-on-one situation with City keeper Joe Hart five minutes before halftime.

That at least gave the Foxes greater confidence and saw them come out of their shells a bit after halftime to play their trademark attacking football. Austrian left back Christian Fuchs became more influential as the game wore on with his powerful shots and free kicks, but while there were some nervy moments for the City defence, Leicester couldn’t get the ball into the back of the net.

Mark Albrighton also pushed forward for the home side in the second half, and in one instance on the hour-mark, he was set up by Mahrez, but the shot went just wide.

Sergio Aguero was nullified largely by the Leicester defence, but he did have a reasonable shout for a penalty in the 63rd minute after a tough challenge by Gokhan Inler, but the referee was hearing nothing of it and awarded a corner to City instead.

Vardy and Fuchs had two further opportunities in the last quarter, but were blocked by the impressive England No 1 Hart in the City goal.

But considering City’s star-studded side, Ranieri and Leicester will be glad to get a point and end 2015 level with Arsenal and second on the log on goal difference.

City’s point took them into third spot on 36, one ahead of Tottenham.

ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za

@IndyCapeSport

English Premier League Top 6

1 Arsenal – Played 19, Points: 39

2 Leicester City – Played 19, Points: 39

3 Manchester City – Played 19, Points 36

4 Tottenham Hotspur – Played 19, Points: 35

5 Crystal Palace – Played 19, Points: 31

6 Manchester United – Played 19, Points: 30