Leicester City were typically solid and Southampton were typically tidy, but neither team did anything like enough to win a tepid encounter at the King Power Stadium.
FULL TIME: #LCFC 0-0 #SaintsFC
It ends goalless, as Claude Puel’s men stretch their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions. pic.twitter.com/XWKhWSJbRG
“?The opening stages of the game fitted into the now customary pattern of most Leicester matches, home or away. The Foxes sat deep and offered up possession to their opponents and Southampton made decent inroads, with both their full-backs, Ryan Bertrand and Cedric Soares bombing on. Two good right-sides deliveries from Soares, who limped off to be replaced by Cuco Martina on 25 minutes, created a chance apiece for the Saints’ strike duo, Nathan Redmond and Charlie Austin.
The Saints’ possession went a little sterile after a dominant first twenty minutes and it was Leicester who made the game’s first clear chance, and really should have opened the scoring. A now trademark ball was played into the Southampton right-hand channel, for Jamie Vardy to chase with Virgil van Dijk.
The usually unflappable Dutchman was clearly rattled by the Englishman’s speed and persistence, hitting a woefully under hit backpass that was hunted down by Vardy long before it reached Saints’ goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Vardy rounded his England teammate, but he and then strike partner Islam Slimani were foiled by a fantastic triple-block by Oriel Romeu.
That chance seemed to shock Southampton into life and their passing became crisper and sharper in the lead-up to half time. Their narrow midfield diamond seemed to be occupying Leicester’s midfield four and Claude Puel’s side were able to find plenty of space on the wings to deliver, although Wes Morgan and Robert Huth dealt with the aerial deliveries fairly comfortably.
Then it was Romeu himself who put his team under pressure with an under hit backpass, but Jose Fonte was able to cover and nudge Slimani off the ball.
The half-time whistle blew with the score at 0-0. Southampton were the dominant side, without making any clear-cut chances and while Leicester were typically solid, they lacked any real invention in open play and it was only sloppy defending from Southampton that gave them any opportunity to threaten.
I think the best word to describe #Saints is contemplative. They are, bar the odd rubbish back pass, soothing. H/T 0-0
Leicester came out after half-time the better side, with more purpose and the home crowd responded with an increase in the decibel level. The game took on a more end-to-end feel as the Foxes begun to string more passes together, but both sides were struggling to penetrate and make a clear opportunity, with a half-chance for Nathan Redmond as good as it got for either team in the opening fifteen minutes of the second period.
Charlie Austin went for a cheeky chip when a laced finish may have been more effective on sixty-two minutes, which prompted Claudio Ranieri into a double substitution four minutes later. Marc Albrighton and Jamie Vardy were withdrawn, making way for Demarai Gray and Shinji Okazaki. Puel responded by introducing Shane Long in place of Dusan Tadic, although with seven minutes remaining, midfielder James Ward-Prowse came on in place of Austin, indicating that the Frenchman was content to take a draw.
Southampton striker Charlie Austin’s causing trouble for Leicester.
But it’s still 0-0 at the moment. https://t.co/mn1CNbVIkc #LeiSou
Southampton did most of the running late in the game, looking to force a winner, but ultimately never looked like having enough to break down a stubborn Foxes backline.
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