Leicester 0-0 Crystal Palace: Goalless draw keeps pressure on beleaguered Brendan Rodgers - BBC Sport
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LeicesterLeicester City0Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace0

Leicester 0-0 Crystal Palace: Goalless draw keeps pressure on beleaguered Brendan Rodgers

By Harry De CosemoBBC Sport
James Maddison
Leicester stay in the Premier League relegation zone after the shutout

Leicester City were unable to ease the pressure on manager Brendan Rodgers as they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Crystal Palace at King Power Stadium.

The Foxes had their moments but struggled to find impetus and remain in the Premier League relegation zone, with the 4-0 win over bottom club Nottingham Forest two weeks ago appearing a false dawn.

It felt like a day when the first goal would be crucial and Leicester's nerves were evident from the start as Palace exerted early pressure.

But the home side sprung into life when Harvey Barnes and Patson Daka combined to unlock the Palace defence, before Daka forced Vicente Guaita into a smart save.

Patrick Vieira's Palace lacked zip in attack as the first half developed, but showed a spark through Eberechi Eze, who flashed a shot over from the edge of the box with the break looming.

In the second half it was telling that James Maddison was seeing more of the ball, but he twice missed the target before the hour, shooting over from close range and then wide after driving forward.

As time ticked on, very little changed. Neither side were able to force the issue, despite the introduction of Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho. This game was there for Leicester's taking, but confidence eluded them.

Lack of punch costs Foxes

The stop-start nature of the game spoke volumes for both sides in different ways.

Palace were looking to frustrate first and do their damage on the counter-attack through Wilfried Zaha's pace; they weren't overly successful, but it pointed to deeper issues for Leicester.

Nervous energy filled the stadium and, given the Foxes had lost seven of their previous nine league games, that was understandable.

But it meant Leicester only attacked in spurts, with flashes from Barnes, Daka and Maddison, but never really enough to build momentum and win the game. Wout Faes, their only major summer signing, was their standout player at the back.

This was another long afternoon in what is becoming a long season for Rodgers' side, summed up by the talismanic Maddison picking up a booking for simulation that will keep him out of Thursday's match with Leeds.

Zaha on the periphery for Palace

Being substituted inside the last 15 minutes with the game still on a knife-edge epitomised Zaha's day.

There were moments for the visitors, with Eze particularly busy in midfield, but they couldn't find the killer pass to make the difference.

Zaha cut a frustrated figure on an afternoon he'll have come into hoping to have a decisive impact.

This is Palace's second successive goalless draw on the road, and they didn't do enough to gain all three points again.

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 4-1-4-1

  • 1Ward
  • 27Castagne
  • 18Amartey
  • 3Faes
  • 2Justin
  • 42SoumaréSubstituted forMendyat 65'minutes
  • 10MaddisonBooked at 90mins
  • 8TielemansSubstituted forPraetat 82'minutes
  • 22Dewsbury-Hall
  • 7BarnesSubstituted forIheanachoat 85'minutes
  • 20DakaSubstituted forVardyat 65'minutesBooked at 81mins

Substitutes

  • 4Söyüncü
  • 9Vardy
  • 11Albrighton
  • 14Iheanacho
  • 17Pérez
  • 24Mendy
  • 26Praet
  • 31Iversen
  • 33Thomas

Crystal Palace

Formation 4-3-3

  • 13Guaita
  • 2Ward
  • 16AndersenBooked at 11mins
  • 6Guéhi
  • 3MitchellSubstituted forRiedewaldat 56'minutes
  • 15Schlupp
  • 28DoucouréBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMilivojevicat 56'minutes
  • 10Eze
  • 9J Ayew
  • 22ÉdouardSubstituted forOliseat 65'minutes
  • 11ZahaSubstituted forMatetaat 77'minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Milivojevic
  • 5Tomkins
  • 7Olise
  • 14Mateta
  • 21Johnstone
  • 23Ebiowei
  • 43Balmer
  • 44Riedewald
  • 45Gordon
Referee:
Andy Madley
Attendance:
31,298

Match Stats

Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamCrystal Palace
Possession
Home53%
Away47%
Shots
Home14
Away8
Shots on Target
Home5
Away1
Corners
Home9
Away2
Fouls
Home18
Away13

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Leicester City 0, Crystal Palace 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Leicester City 0, Crystal Palace 0.

  3. Booking

    James Maddison (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card.

  4. Post update

    James Maddison (Leicester City) has gone down, but the referee deems it simulation.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Timothy Castagne (Leicester City).

  6. Post update

    Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Marc Guéhi.

  8. Post update

    James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace).

  10. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Marc Guéhi.

  11. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Kelechi Iheanacho.

  12. Post update

    Attempt saved. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by James Maddison.

  13. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Marc Guéhi.

  14. Post update

    Nampalys Mendy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace).

  16. Post update

    Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.

  17. Post update

    Hand ball by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City).

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Leicester City. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Harvey Barnes.

  19. Post update

    Daniel Amartey (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Post update

    Foul by Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace).

Player of the match

GuaitaVicente Guaita

with an average of 6.55

Leicester City

  1. Squad number20Player nameDaka
    Average rating

    6.53

  2. Squad number10Player nameMaddison
    Average rating

    6.30

  3. Squad number7Player nameBarnes
    Average rating

    6.25

  4. Squad number3Player nameFaes
    Average rating

    6.18

  5. Squad number27Player nameCastagne
    Average rating

    6.04

  6. Squad number2Player nameJustin
    Average rating

    5.97

  7. Squad number26Player namePraet
    Average rating

    5.97

  8. Squad number8Player nameTielemans
    Average rating

    5.82

  9. Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
    Average rating

    5.80

  10. Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
    Average rating

    5.71

  11. Squad number24Player nameMendy
    Average rating

    5.64

  12. Squad number18Player nameAmartey
    Average rating

    5.60

  13. Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
    Average rating

    5.58

  14. Squad number9Player nameVardy
    Average rating

    5.51

  15. Squad number1Player nameWard
    Average rating

    5.45

Crystal Palace

  1. Squad number13Player nameGuaita
    Average rating

    6.55

  2. Squad number10Player nameEze
    Average rating

    6.51

  3. Squad number22Player nameÉdouard
    Average rating

    5.94

  4. Squad number16Player nameAndersen
    Average rating

    5.87

  5. Squad number44Player nameRiedewald
    Average rating

    5.83

  6. Squad number28Player nameDoucouré
    Average rating

    5.78

  7. Squad number15Player nameSchlupp
    Average rating

    5.71

  8. Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew
    Average rating

    5.66

  9. Squad number6Player nameGuéhi
    Average rating

    5.62

  10. Squad number4Player nameMilivojevic
    Average rating

    5.55

  11. Squad number2Player nameWard
    Average rating

    5.52

  12. Squad number3Player nameMitchell
    Average rating

    5.28

  13. Squad number11Player nameZaha
    Average rating

    5.26

  14. Squad number7Player nameOlise
    Average rating

    5.18

  15. Squad number14Player nameMateta
    Average rating

    4.98

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