Leicester City 0 Sunderland 0

Leicester City 0 Sunderland 0




Five consecutive games Leicester City have now played without scoring a goal, but having lost the previous four, a draw represents improvement of sorts. Perhaps the Buddhist monks called into bless the stadium by the club’s Thai owners before the game made the difference.

In fairness to the Foxes, it was not for lack of ambition or positivity that they failed to secure all three points. Having been criticised for making what some supporters perceive to be over-defensive selections, Nigel Pearson made changes in personnel and formation, the most positive of which saw the reintroduction of the Algeria international Riyad Mahrez on the right of a four man midfield, with the pacy Jamie Vardy alongside Leonardo Ulloa up front.

Four points from Sunderland’s past two games, against Crystal Palace and Everton, meant Gus Poyet was never likely to alter his favoured 4-1-4-1 formation, though the Uruguayan maintained a record of always making at least one change this season by bringing in Lee Cattermole coming back in for Liam Bridcutt in front of the back four.

Cattermole spent most of the first quarter on the edge of his own penalty area as the Foxes searched for the early goal that would have done so much for their confidence. With Mahrez and Jeff Schlupp providing width, Esteban Cambiasso had options in midfield, and opportunities began to be created as early as the second minute, when a Matty James corner was headed wide by the stooping Marcin Wasilewski.

Vardy’s persistence in chasing down lost causes then almost embarrassed Costel Pantilimon before Mahrez, having made Sunderland’s goalkeeper save a shot from outside the penalty area, played Jeff Schlupp clear into the left side of the penalty area with a fine pass inside Santiago Vergini, only for Schlupp to shoot wastefully into the side-netting.

The storm having been weathered, however, it was the visitors who created the best chance of the opening half-hour, when Adam Johnson’s pass left Steven Fletcher with only Kasper Schmeichel to beat. The City goalkeeper made a fine blocking save in the manner of his father Peter.

Schmeichel also impressed soon afterwards, diverting Johnson’s long range effort around the post as the ball gathered pace off the wet surface, while Mahrez, attempting a cross, almost saw the ball squeeze inside the far post as Pantilimon scrambled to cover.

Fletcher, left unmarked at a corner, could not keep his first-time shot down at the start of the second half, while at the other end James, bursting into the penalty area, forced Pantilimon to make a solid diving save before Mahrez, having left Wes Brown on the floor, saw his low shot diverted just wide.

James then failed to beat Pantilimon with a side-footed effort after exchanging passes with Ulloa, but once Sunderland settled for the draw, the game meandered to a scrappy close.