Full time: Leicester City 0-0 Manchester City
Peep! Peep! Peeeeep! It’s all over and an entertaining match between Leicester and Manchester City ends scoreless and all square. The draw leaves Leicester joint top of the table with Arsenal, but behind them on goal difference. Behind them in third place sit tonight’s opponents Manchester City, who are really struggling to win matches on their travels. Both terams will feel they could have won tonight’s game and had their chances to do so, but a draw seems a fair result.
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90+3 min: The match ticks towards its conclusion with Leicester on the front foot and Riyad Mahrez on the ball out by the right touchline.
90+2 min: Leicester City substitution: Marc Albrighton off, Ritchie De Laet on. We’re in the second of four recommended minutes of extra time.
90 min: Vardy draws a foul from Bacary Sagn under a dropping ball. The Manchester City full-back barges him just outside the penalty area, over on the right flank. There’s a pause as Nicolas Otamendi goes to ground as if shot after running into Robert Huth’s outstretched arm. As he lies on the ground holding his face, Huth stands over him laughing. Marc Albrighton swings the ball into the penalty area, but City clear.
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89 min: Manchester City substitution: Raheem Sterling off, Kelechi Iheanacho on.
86 min: Manchester City win a corner,, which Jesus Navas plays into the Leicester penalty area from the right. It’s cleared.
84 min: Fernandinho attempts to play a clever pass into Raheem Sterling in the Leicester penalty area, but Robert Huth reads the Brazilian’s intentions and steps in to intercept and clear.
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82 min: Marc Albrighton gets his name taken for an offence I must confess I missed. Showing his studs in the tackle, possibly. Or revealing Star Wars: The Force Awakens plot spoilers to referee Craig Pawson.
80 min: Leicester substitution: Danny Drinkwater off, Andy King on.
77 min: Leicester’s season summed up in one lightning fast counter-attack. Tireless donkeywork by Danny Drinkwater enables him to win the ball from Raheem Sterling deep in Leicester’s half. He immediately dispatches it high up the field towards Riyad Mahrez, who attempts to play Vardy in behind Mangala. Unfrotunately for Leicester, on this occasion their striker was unable to beat his man for speed and fire off a shot.
75 min: Sloppy play from Eliaquim Mangala, who dives in to concede a free-kick just a yard outside his penalty area, in line with its right side. christian Fuchs takes the free-kick and it’s a fine effort, on target and forcing a decent save from Joe Hart.
74 min: Manchester City substitution: David Silva off, Jesus Navas on. Silva looks most unimpressed to be withdrawn from proceedings and has the right hump on as he takes his place in the dug-out beside Sergio Aguero.
72 min: We’re well into the final quarter of an entertaining match that’s still there for the taking for either side. On the balance of play, a draw seems about fair ... but there could be a couple of late twists in this one.
70 min: Vardy shakes off Otamendi to pick up a pass from Danny Drinkwater, who’d broken from midfield. From a tight angle, he fires his low, diagonal drive straight into the hands of Joe Hart. Good play from Leicester.
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69 min: After more good work from Sterling down the inside-left, Kolarov forces a cross into the Leicester penalty area, but it’s blocked by the energetic Kante, who covered hectares in his efforts to get back and close down the full-back.
67 min: Leicester switch to a 4-4-2, with Leo Ulloa coming on to play up front alongside Jamie Vardy. Gokhan Inler makes way.
66 min: Kolarov gets booked for a cynical foul on Riyad Mahrez.
64 min: Nicolas Otamendi brings a smart save from Kasper Schmeichel with a header and then Manchester City win a free-kick almost exactly in line with the right edge of the Leicester penalty area. It’s an ideal spot for the left-footed Kolarov, but his curled effort is blocked by Danny Drinkwater.
63 min: Manchester City substitution: Wilfried Bony on for Sergio Aguero.
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62 min: On the right-hand side of the Leicester penalty area, Sergio Aguero goes to ground under a challenge from Gokhan Inler, who stuck out a leg to try to win the ball from the Argentinian. The referee reckons Inler won the ball, but after seeing just one slo-mo replay I’m not so sure. I’d need to see it again, but I think it might have been a penalty.
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61 min: Wonderful vision from Riyad Mahrez, who plays a clever pull-back into the penalty for Marc Albrighton, who’d given Otamendi the slip. Albrighton’s low diagonal drive rolls wide of the far post.
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60 min: Danny Simpson plays the ball into the Manchester City penalty area, where Eliaquim Mangala clears as Jamie Vardy tries to control the ball with his back to goal.
58 min: Fernandinho attempts to play the ball into the Leicester penalty area, but it’s intercepted by an acrobatic header from Robert Huth, who steers it somewhere in the general direction of Kasper Schmeichel.
56 min: The always lively Raheem Sterling sends a cross from the right into the Leicester penalty area, where Danny Simpson gets in front of Aguero, but goes to ground letting the ball strike his arm in the process. Aguero appeals for a penalty, but none is forthcoming. Good decision, that was very much ball to arm, rather than arm to ball.
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53 min: Great work by Vardy, who takes out two defenders while laying the ball off to N’Golo Kante. The Leicester midfielder surges forward and unleashes a dipping shot that bounces in front of Joe Hart before flashing narrowly wide of the right post.
51 min: Jamie Vardy wins a free-kick just inside the Manchester City half after being clattered from behind by Nicolas Otamendi. Leicester work the ball forward and Vardy gets his head to a cross from Riyad Mahrez, but is unable to get enough power on his header to trouble Joe Hart.
49 min: Sterling is in the thick of the action, playing the ball to Kolarov who is up on the overlap, then teeing up Aguero whose shot is blocked. A subsequent follow-up shot from Yaya Toure is also blocked by Wes Morgan. Good defending from Leicester City.
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47 min: Manchester City win a free-kick about 35 yards from goal, well left of centre. Kolarov swings the ball into the penalty area, where it’s put out for another corner, from which nothing productive comes.
Second half: Leicester City 0-0 Manchester City
46 min: Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling get the ball rolling for the second half after both teams line up without any changes. City immediately win a corner after Robert Huth is forced to put the ball out of play. De Bruyne sends the ball into the penalty area, but the ball is cleared, but only as far as Silva. He picks out De Bruyne near the corner flag, but Sergio Aguero is unable to convert his cross towards the near post.
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Half-time: Leicester City 0-0 Manchester City
45+1: To a chorus of boos, Pawson blows for half-time and is accosted by an unhappy Kasper Schmeichel as he walks off the pitch. It’\s been an entertaining 45 minutes of football, in which Manchester City dominated, but counter-attacking Leicester had the two best chances after coming alive in the final 10 minutes of the half. A match that could go either way is nicely poised ahead of what should be an entertaining second half.
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43 min: Now Mahrez gallops at the Manchester city defence before being felled on the edge of the penalty area by Fernandinho and subsequently crashing into Nicolas Otamendi. After receiving treatment, he’s able to carry on. He should have won a free-kick there, for the foul by Fernandinho, who tackled him from behind. “You don’t know what you’re doing!” chants a section of Leicester fans who are displeased with referee Craig Pawson’s performance.
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41 min: Somebody at Leicester City seems to have flicked the switch! Vardy is played in behind the Manchester City defence once again and wins a corner as he attempts to dink a cross over Joe Hart, who blocks. Nothing comes of it.
40 min: Leicester City miss two terrific chances in quick succession! The first falls to Albrighton, who is unable to hook a wonderful Christian Fuchs cross from the left in at the far post. Seconds later, the second fell to Vardy, who blazed over when put through on goal with only Joe Hart to beat.
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39 min: Marc Albrighton plays a long ball towards Jamie Vardy, who is beaten in the air by Eliaquim Mangala. His headed clearance is fairly weak.
35 min: Kasper Schmeichel is first to the ball as Bacary Sagna attempts to pounce on a loose ball in the Leicester City penalty area. Playing a 4-3-3 that reverts to a 4-5-1 when Manchester City have the ball, which is most of the time, Leicester are playing very, very deep, with the result that the apparently tireless Vardy is isolated up front with four Manchester City defenders keeping tabs on him. It’s been a pretty easy and straightforward night for them so far.
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32 min: From the corner, Kasper Schmeichel gets his grubby mitts on the ball and lumps the ball long towards Jamie Vardy. Beating Kolarov for speed, the Leicester striker is harshly penalised when the Manchester City defender trips over his right leg while trying to scramble back into position and defend Leicester’s latest counter-attack.
31 min: From the right flank, Bacary Sagna whips a wonderful cross into the Leicester penalty area, but there’s nobody on hand to attack it. Defending for Leicester, Danny Simpson does well to put the ball out for a throw-in, from which Kasper Schmeichel is forced to concede another corner as he saves an effort from Raheem Sterling.
28 min: Kolarov tries a shot on goal, but sends the ball high into the stand behind his target. It’s looks a mattrer of when, rather than if Manchester City will open the scoring. Leicester are relying on scraps at the moment and are unable to hold on to the ball for any length of time.
26 min: Raheem Sterling turns on his afterburners and steals between the two Leicester centre-backs to pounce on a pass over the top and lash a shot goalwards. Kasper Schmeichel gets a hand to it and does just enough to keep the ball out. It looked as if he’d unintentionally punched the ball into his own net, but it bounced out for a corner.
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23 min: Riyad Mahrez gegenpresses Kolarov to within an inch of his life on the edge of the Manchester City penalty area, robs him of possession and attempts to curl the ball into the top right-hand corner. His effort is a little too high and a little too wide, but earns appreciative applause from the home crowd. Great industry. Great effort.
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21 min: From near the corner flag, Kolarov plays the ball back to Yaya Toure in acres of space in midfield. He picks out Kevin De Bruyne, who puts the ball out for a goal kick.
20 min: Manchester City are beginning to dominate proceedings, with Sterling, Aguero, De Bruyne and Silva proving a constant menace. Sterling, in particular, is proving particularly troublesome for Leicester City’s defence and proving a real handful for Wes Morgan, who is coping reasonably well so far.
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18 min: Chance! Kevin De Bruyne forces a good save from Kasper Schmeichel after being teed up about 15 yards from goal by Raheem Sterling, who left Robert Huth in his dust while chasing a pass from deep from Bacary Sagna. After Sterling had pulled the ball across the penalty area, Schmeichel was forced to beat away De Bruyne’s side-footed effort from close range.
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15 min: Leicester win a free-kick approximately 35 yards from the Manchester City goal for a Raheem Sterling foul on Gokhan Inler, dead centre. Christian Fuchs chips the ball over the City defence and into the penalty area, where Robert Huth attempts to head the ball goalwards. It’s not a great effort and he sends the ball high and wide.
13 min: Turning and attempting a shot on goal from a narrow angle, Sergio Aguero wins a corner for Man City when his effort is blocked by Wes Morgan. Kevin De Bruyne takes the corner, from which City win another. De Bruyne’s second inswinger is well defended and the ball eventually drops for Raheem Sterling, who sends a poor attempt at a cross out for a goal kick.
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10 min: It’s been a lively start and while neither side has had a shot on goal, both teams will be pleased with the manner in which they’ve started. Leicester City may be a little concerned with the manner in which Jamie Vardy seems rather isolated up front, but it won’t be a source of major concern for their manager yet.
9 min: Raheem Sterling plays the ball forward to Kolarov who’s up on the overlap, but the full-back’s cross is uncharacteristically woeful: too high and wayward enough to sail over the crossbar. To demonstrate his frustration, the Serbian unleashes a loud and barbaric yawp.
7 min: After good work on the left flank by Kolarov, David Silva pulls the ball across the Leicester City penalty area, but there’s nobody on hand to drive the ball goalwards. As is their wont, Leicester take possession and embark on a lightning fast counter-attack. An attempt to pick out Vardy with a long ball comes to naught.
4 min: David Silva gets on the ball in the centre-circle before pinging a pass wide to Aleksandar Kolarov. He surges forward, but Leicester win possession back courtesy of Gokhan Inler and Marc Albrighton plays the ball long for Jamie Vardy to chase along the left touchline. With nobody up in support, he can do little more than win his side a throw-in.
2 min: With the home fans in fine voice, their players send the ball zipping around the pitch giving plenty of players time on the ball before working it back to goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. Further up the field, Marc Albrighton wins a free-kick out by the touchline in line with the edge of the penalty area after drawing a foul from Bacary Sagna. The ball’s curled high across the penalty area and goes out of play.
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1 min: Leicester City get the ball rolling on a mild night in the East Midlands, with their players lining up in their customary home kit of blue shirts, shorts and socks. Manchester City’s wear luminous and rather emetic yellow shirts, shorts and socks.
Not long now: The teams emerge from the tunnel and line up either side of the match officials for the final time in a remarkable year for Leicester City Football Club. Neutrals would need a heart of stone not to be rooting for them to win this match and finish 2015 at the top of the league.
Manuel Pellegrini’s been talking before the match. “We must consider Leicester not thinking that they lost on Saturday and could collapse, but as a team that will have options to be fighting for the title until the end,” says the Manchester City boss. “With that mentality we must try to play the game.”
The world's most expensive round?
Hats off to Leicester City’s Thai owners, who are providing a free beer for each of their fans tonight, as thanks for their continued support of the club on their fairytale run this season. Fans aged under 18 have to make do with a complimentary bottle of water.
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Interesting fact ...
Leicester City’s starting XI tonight was acquired by the club for £18m. By contrast, Manchester City’s line-up cost a comparatively staggering £292.1m. “For us to be fighting [at the top of the Premier League] with them is unbelievable,” says Claudio Ranieri, with his customary twinkle.
An email from Justin Kavanagh
“Is that flag in your photo the one that’s been assigned marking duties on Kevin de Bruyne for City corners tonight?” he asks. “Its Arsenal counterpart did a fine job the other night.”
Team news ...
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has done a spot of tinkering with the the team that lost against Anfield on Boxing Day, with Danny Drinkwater and Gokhan Inler coming in for Andy King and Shinji Okazaki in a 4-3-3 line-up. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez both start, having been subbed off at Anfield due to illness and fatigue respectively. For Manchester City, Sergio Aguero returns to the starting line-up, with Wilfried Bony making way for the Argentinian.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Fuchs, Kante, Inler, Drinkwater, Mahrez, Vardy, Albrighton.
Subs: De Laet, King, Okazaki, Ulloa, Dyer, Wasilewski, Schwarzer.
Manchester City: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Silva, Sterling, Aguero.
Subs: Zabaleta, Caballero, Bony, Jesus Navas, Demichelis, Iheanacho, Horsfield.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)
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City XI: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Mangala, Kolarov, Silva, Fernandinho, Toure, Sterling, De Bruyne, Aguero #foxesvcity #mcfc
— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 29, 2015
City: Schmeichel; Simpson, Huth, Morgan (c), Fuchs; Inler, Drinkwater, Kanté; Mahrez, Vardy, Albrighton. #LeiMnc
— Leicester City (@LCFC) December 29, 2015
Some sad news today ...
Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek has passed away at a very young age.
Leicester City v Manchester City preview
Having secured the most unlikely Christmas No1 since Rage Against The Machine topped the 2009 festive charts with Killing In The Name, Leicester City will hope to finish 2015 on top of the Premier League by securing victory over Manchester City at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes currently occupy second place in the table, where they sit two points behind Arsenal, with tonight’s opponents three points and two places further back in fourth.
Claudio Ranieri hopes to have Jamie Vardy fit for this encounter, despite the striker being withdrawn due to illness after 69 minutes of Leicester’s Boxing Day defeat at the hands of Liverpool. Having been substituted during the same game due to exhaustion, Riyad Mahrez is also expected to be fit, while Danny Drinkwater could make a reappearance after sitting out two games.
Having suffered a morale-sapping recurrence of the calf injury that had previously kept him sidelined for eight games on his comeback against Sunderland, Vincent Kompany will be absent for Manchester City tonight, while Pablo Zabaleta and Fernando are also unlikely to feature despite resuming training after injury. Sergio Aguero could well be involved for the visitors, having featured as an unused substitute against Sunderland as he continues his recovery from a heel injury.
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