Struggling Leicester Held To Goalless Draw By Palace

 

Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said his struggling players were “giving everything” after a frustrating goalless draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday left them in deep trouble in the Premier League relegation zone.

The single point at the King Power Stadium took Leicester to five points — level with Nottingham Forest, who were left rock bottom by virtue of an inferior goal difference.

Leicester’s only league win this season was a 4-0 victory against Forest earlier this month but that proved to be a false dawn for the 2016 champions.

Rodgers’ side, who have the leakiest defence in the division, were solid at the back on Saturday but failed to capitalise on their chances in the autumn sunshine.

“I thought the performance was good,” under-pressure Rodgers told BT Sport. “We limited a very good Crystal Palace team, with a lot of individual players of real quality, to one chance.

“Apart from that we pressed the game well, in particular in the second half when the pressure on the ball was much better. We got into good areas but failed to make the final pass to get us that goal.”

Rodgers said a lack of wins meant pressure on him was inevitable.

“The players are fighting and running and giving everything,” he said. “I always felt after the summer market we would have to fight our way through the season but the players are doing that and hopefully we will get better results as the season goes on.”

The club signed defender Wout Faes from French club Reims in the closing hours of the transfer window to replace Chelsea-bound defender Wesley Fofana in their only significant piece of business.

– Chances –

Leicester had the bulk of the possession and the better chances in the first half against Palace but clear-cut opportunities were few and far between.

Harvey Barnes forced a save from Vicente Guaita after breaking into the box down the left and Patson Daka tested the goalkeeper midway through the opening period.

The visitors occasionally threatened, with Eberechi Eze firing just over in the dying minutes of the opening period but they were unable to put the Leicester defence under consistent pressure.

Leicester started the second half brightly, with in-form James Maddison unable to keep his left-footed shot down after being found by the lively Barnes.

Timothy Castagne fired straight at Guaita just before the hour mark.

Rodgers threw on Jamie Vardy for Daka in the 65th minute, with midfielder Nampalys Mendy replacing Boubakary Soumare.

Vardy, 35, is still hunting for his first goal of the season.

Maddison had another chance in the 71st minute but again shot too close to Guaita.

Palace manager Patrick Vieira made changes of his own but his team were unable to fashion clear-cut chances.

Nigeria forward Kelechi Iheanacho came on for Barnes with five minutes remaining but Leicester failed to find an opening despite some late pressure.

Forest were in action later Saturday at Wolves.

AFP