Arsenal retain EPL top spot as Man City, Leicester battle to a draw News

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Arsenal retain EPL top spot as Man City, Leicester battle to a draw

By Daily Sports on December 30, 2015

Fan favourites Arsenal remain atop the English Premiership table after the league’s two highest-scoring teams shared a goalless draw at the King Power Stadium Tuesday night. Leicester City missed the chance to dislodge the Gunners and Manchester City’s winless away run continued.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men, who had been 4-1 winners over Sunderland on Boxing Day while Leicester were beaten 1-0 at Liverpool, had the better of the first half, but found Kasper Schmeichel in fine form as Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling were denied by the Dane.

Leicester carried a threat of their own and could have gone in ahead had Marc Albrighton been able to hook Christian Fuchs’ delivery into the net after Joe Hart had been taken out of the equation.

Jamie Vardy spurned an even better chance when he blazed over after being put through one-on-one, while the returning Sergio Aguero was wayward with an excellent opening early in the second half.

The Man City striker had his penalty appeals waved away just past the hour, shortly before he was substituted, and Nicolas Otamendi brought another save from Schmeichel in the next attack.

Ultimately neither side could find a way through, despite having shared 74 top-flight goals between them this season, and Pellegrini's charges remain without a win on the road in the Barclays Premier League since September.

De Bruyne had a clear sight of goal in the 17th minute, but his side-footed effort from Sterling’s cut-back was parried away by Schmeichel.

Aleksandar Kolarov gifted possession to Riyad Mahrez midway through the half and the Leicester forward’s curling effort narrowly cleared Hart’s crossbar.

Schmeichel was called into action again a minute later when Sterling’s precise volley was tipped away from the bottom corner by the 29-year-old, who kept out the same player’s long-range strike soon after.

Leicester, whose owners laid on free drinks for the fans to celebrate a fine year, almost delivered the perfect sucker punch with two excellent chances in the dying moments of the half as a stretching Albrighton turned Fuchs’ searching cross into the side netting with Hart stranded.

Then Vardy collected a pass from N’Golo Kante, who had capitalised on Fernando’s error, but the England striker blasted his shot over.

Vardy could have been made to pay within two minutes of the restart, but Aguero skied De Bruyne’s low cross from just a couple of yards out.

Aguero then felt he should have had a penalty when Gokhan Inler barged into him, but referee Craig Pawson was unmoved.

Otamendi’s downward header was superbly kept out by Schmeichel from the subsequent corner as the visitors continued to push for a first away league win since their triumph at Crystal Palace more than three months ago.

But Leicester also were pushing for a win and Hart saved from a Fuchs free-kick while Bony, on for Aguero, saw his first-time effort blocked in the final 10 minutes as Leicester ended 2015 second to Arsenal on goal difference and ahead of their visitors by three points.

•Adapted from the official website of the EPL. Photo shows action during last night’s duel between Leicester and Man City.

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 30, 2015