Goalless draw sees points shared at Leicester

Summary:

• Vieira makes one change, with Mitchell replacing Olise as Schlupp moves to midfield.
• Both sides probe for openings in a cagey first period.
• Guaita saves well from Barnes and then Daka.
• Eze fires just wide from 25-yards out.
• HT: Leicester 0-0 Palace
• Edouard comes close to giving Palace the lead, denied by Ward.
• Guaita is called into action from Maddison’s creative effort.
• FT: Leicester 0-0 Palace

Preparing to take on Leicester this season is a difficult task: their tough run of results saw them bottom of the table before kick-off, and yet as the team emerged you were reminded of their bountiful individual quality.

In the early stages this uncertainty was palpable, as Palace pushed and probed in possession but were reminded on the break of the hosts’ ability to cause danger.

Vicente Guaita was the busier of the two ‘keepers in the first-half, commanding his penalty area well from set-pieces and saving smartly from first Harvey Barnes – Leicester’s standout player – and then Patson Daka.

Palace’s best opportunity came from Ebere Eze’s rasping drive from 30-yards out.

After the break the game opened up, and Odsonne Edouard very nearly put the visitors ahead. He did immensely well to find space to dig out a shot on the edge of a tightly-packed penalty area, and only a desperate dive from Danny Ward kept the scores level.

For their part, Leicester were finding joy through James Maddison and twice he tested Guaita from close-range.

Neither side wanted a draw, but the longer the second-half went on the harder it became to break each other down and chances were few and far between.

The game finished goalless, and Palace return to south London with a point and a hard-earned clean sheet.

Re-cap all the action and reaction from the King Power.

Vieira reveals missing ingredient

15:00

Patrick Vieira says a lack of line-breaking passes prevented his side from securing three points this afternoon.

“There was an opportunity to play four against two,” he said after the game. “Their two worked hard, yes, but we weren’t brave enough to break that line and find our holding midfielder [from defence].

“When we did find our holding midfielder, we didn’t have the pass going forwards. We didn’t break lines today.

“We didn’t take risks, and this is why we didn’t create much in the second-half.”

Vieira says his side started the match well, but petered out after the restart.

“We didn’t play as well as we wanted,” he explained. In the first-half we had situations that allowed us to create a little bit more, and I don’t think we were aggressive enough going forwards.

“We didn’t penetrate enough behind the back-four and then in the second-half it was all about them. In the second-half we didn’t create nothing, no situations, but on the other side we defended well because we didn’t concede a goal.

“There is a frustration there but at least we took a point today.”

Milivojevic: Clean sheet is positive

14:45

Captain Luka Milivojevic has been talking to the media after the game.

“It was a tough game for both teams,” he said. “At the minute I think both teams in the table are not where they deserve to be.

“We had tough schedules from the beginning of the season and now this game today we can take positives from as well. Clean sheet, away from home, Leicester is a good team. Then we turn to the next one.

“We knew that they were under pressure and we know they didn’t have a good start to the season, but we know that today we are going to face a good team who is fighting for their lives.

“It was a must win game for them. We knew they are a quality team and it would be tough for us, but in the end we kept a clean sheet which is positive.”

Full-time

90+5 mins

That’s that. Boos ring around the King Power from the home fans.

A frustrating afternoon for Palace but they head back to south London with a point and a clean sheet.

Yellow card

90+4 mins

Oh dear.

James Maddison goes over in the area from Milivojevic’s challenge, and Palace hearts are in mouths – but there was no contact, and the Leicester man is booked for diving.

90+2 mins

Another Leicester corner. A late charge from the home side, but it comes to nothing.

90 mins

FOUR additional minutes for either side to find a winner.

89 mins

It’s half-cleared and Milivojevic can’t make contact with the volley. Chance gone.

At the other end Leicester break forwards and Guéhi gets a vital foot in to prevent it reaching Vardy. From the resulting corner Iheanacho tries his luck, but Guaita saves.

88 mins

Headed towards added time – can Palace find a winner?

They have a corner.

Substitution

85 mins

Leicester’s dangerman is off, as Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Harvey Barnes.

Substitution

82 mins

Another change for Brendan Rodgers’ side now, as Tielemans is replaced by Dennis Praet.

Yellow card

81 mins

Jamie Vardy is rightly booked for a late challenge on Marc Guéhi.

Chance!

79 mins

Free-kick for Leicester 30-yards out, and James Maddison strikes the wall – but it heads behind for a corner.

The delivery is a good one and Castagne has a relatively free header six yards out, but it's straight at Guaita.

Substitution

78 mins

A fourth change for Palace, as Wilfried Zaha is withdrawn. On comes Jean-Philippe Mateta.

69 mins

Good work from Maddison to create space in the penalty area but his shot is tame and Guaita can get down comfortably.

Substitutions

65 mins

Both managers make changes.

Palace introduce Michael Olise in place of Odsonne Edouard, with Jordan Ayew taking up a central position.

Leicester make a double change, with Patson Daka and Boubakary Soumare off. Jamie Vardy and Nampalys Mendy are on in their place.

Chance!

64 mins

Ohhhhh, it’s so close to an opener.

Palace work it well on the edge of the area and Edouard manages to dig out a shot under immense pressure, but Danny Ward gets down just in time to push behind.

59 mins

Maddison has the ball where he likes it on the edge of the area and has the space to shoot, but he drags the shot wide.

Substitution

55 mins

Patrick Vieira has seen enough, and Palace make a double change.

On come Luka Milivojevic and Jairo Riedewald, in place of Tyrick Mitchell and Cheick Doucouré.

Both were down injured in the first-half.

53 mins

Better from Palace.

Mitchell’s cross is just cut out before reaching Zaha, but Leicester can’t break away because Guéhi steps in on Maddison.

50 mins

Corner for Leicester, which is headed behind. Another chance for Maddison to deliver.

This time it’s headed out to James Justin, who takes a touch before half-volleying over the crossbar.

Chance!

47 mins

Two huge early chances for the hosts!

First Daka sees his shot saved by Guaita, before Maddison strikes from a pull-back into the six-yard box but gets the connection all wrong.

Let-off for Palace.

Kick-off

46 mins

We're back underway - can Palace find the breakthrough?

Half-time

45+2 mins

A cagey opening 45 minutes comes to a close with both manager perhaps feeling as if they could be doing more.

Palace have looked confident on the ball but are lacking that bit of inspiration to open the home side up. Harvey Barnes has been by far Leicester’s most dangerous player.

Plenty of time left in this one.

45+1 mins

We’re into two additional minutes.

A final chance for Leicester? Free-kick 35-yards out – surely too far for Maddison to think about shooting.

All 20 outfield players are gathered in the Palace half.

Guehi heads clear.

Chance!

43 mins

A whisker away!

Eze sees the space open up 25-yards out and unleashes a rasping drive towards the top corner, which just narrowly misses the target.

Credit to referee Andy Madley, too, who adopted a Matrix-like position in the build-up to avoid being hit by the ball.

41 mins

Chance for Leicester from a set-piece, just inside the corner flag. James Maddison to take – but Guaita is equal to it once again and punches clear.

37 mins

Oof, we’ll never tire of seeing that.

Andersen plucks the ball out of the air with ease and spins, before hitting an inch-perfect diagonal ball to Eze.

Eze brings it down well but a miscommunication between Zaha and Edouard means the attack breaks down.

34 mins

Lengthy injury delay as Tyrick Mitchell receives treatment, but thankfully he’s back on his feet and back at the centre of the action.

Chance!

30 mins

Eze stands over a free-kick just inside the Leicester half and bends an inviting ball towards the far post. Waiting is Marc Guéhi, but he nods over the crossbar.

One of Palace’s better chances, that.

27 mins

A period of calm as both sides try to get a foot on the ball and build some possession.

Palace look comfortable, but their final ball has let them down going forwards.

Chance!

22 mins

Smart save from Guaita keeps the scores level, as Patson Daka’s driven effort from the edge of the area is kept out.

20 mins

If Leicester do score first, it will be down to Harvey Barnes. He’s causing Palace real trouble.

This time he picks up the ball on the wing and fires in a dangerous cross which is only half-cleared. Receiving the ball back on the wing, he cuts inside and fires goalwards but the shot is blocked.

19 mins

Jeff Schlupp wins it back in midfield and is brought down as Palace break forwards. Youri Tielemans is a lucky boy not to be in the referee’s book.

17 mins

Chance for the hosts.

It’s a nice exchange of passes that gets Harvey Barnes past Joel Ward and in on goal, but Guaita is out quickly to smother the ball and Palace can clear.

First real sight of goal for Leicester.

15 mins

The Palace fans are certainly making themselves heard.

‘Can you hear the Leicester sing? I can’t hear anything’ they chant (as you can imagine, we’re paraphrasing a tad).

Chance!

13 mins

Edouard finds space in behind and is picked out by a delicious ball from Andersen. He seems to be taken by surprise that the ‘keeper stays on his line and goes wide, before firing across the face of goal.

Zaha is racing in at the far post but Castagne gets back in time to hook it away before the Ivorian can make it 1-0.

Yellow card

10 mins

Palace come forwards well through Schlupp and then Zaha, and the ball fall for Eze on the edge of the area – but his snapshot is mishit and Leicester breakaway.

Andersen prevents the quick break forwards but brings Barnes down, and earns himself a caution.

6 mins

Schlupp does well here to win a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area.

Palace try a training ground routine as they knock it back to the edge of the area, but Zaha's effort is too high.

4 mins

First foray forwards for Palace as Edouard breaks away, but his touch is a little heavy and the defender comes across to clear the danger.

3 mins

Chance for Leicester here as Joachim Andersen is penalised on the edge of the penalty area near the corner flag.

A set-piece opportunity early on and James Maddison is standing over the ball.

It's whipped in with pace but Guaita punches clear.

Kick-off

1 min

We're underway - COME ON, PALACE!

12:29

It's a beautifully crisp sunny morning at the King Power - what can the Eagles produce to kick-off the weekend?

We're almost ready to get going here. The managers exchange a handshake and the tracksuit tops are off.

12:25

Here come the teams…

12:20

The players are finishing their warm-ups and kick-off is not far away…

12:00

Need the lowdown on today’s game, from tactical insights to form guides?

Read our in-depth match preview HERE.

Last time out…

11:50

Michael Olise announced his arrival to the Premier League the last time these two met in south London, scoring a goal on his debut as Palace came from two down to earn a much-deserved point; they came close to completing a remarkable comeback and finding a winner.

The Eagles were less fortunate on their last visit to the King Power, with Wilfried Zaha’s goal not enough to secure another comeback after finding themselves two down for a second time.

11:40

The lads have arrived…

Team news

11:30

The teams are in, and Patrick Vieira has made one change to his starting lineup to take on Leicester City, with Tyrick Mitchell returning to the side.

Mitchell replaces Michael Olise as Jeff Schlupp returns to his more familiar midfield berth alongside Ebere Eze and Cheick Doucouré.

Odsonne Edouard starts up-front once again, supported by Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha.

Mitchell joins Joachim Andersen, Marc Guéhi and Joel Ward in the back four in front of Vicente Guaita.

Two Academy prospects make the first-team squad, including Northern Irish youth international Kofi Balmer and prolific striker John-Kymani Gordon.

Leicester: Ward (GK), Justin, Faes, Barnes, Tielemans, Maddison, Amartey, Daka, Dewsbury-Hall, Castagne, Soumaré.

Subs: Iversen (GK), Soyuncu, Vardy, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Perez, Mendy, Praet, Thomas.

Palace: Guaita (GK), Ward, Guéhi, Anderson, Mitchell, Doucouré, Eze, Schlupp, Zaha, Edouard, Ayew.

Subs: Johnstone (GK), Milivojevic, Tomkins, Ebiowei, Olise, Mateta, Riedewald, Gordon, Balmer.

11:20

The stage is set.

Ayew – No. 8?

11:10

Patrick Vieira discussed Jordan Ayew’s recent weeks deputising in the No. 8 role for Palace, often interchanging with Michael Olise.

“Jordan is the type of player that is happy to be on the field regardless of his position,” Vieira said in his pre-match press conference. “He is going to be giving 100 percent to the team.

“He is one of those players that you call a team player. On the pre-season tour, we tried him for around 15-20 minutes in central midfield and he did really well.

“We had a bit of a conversation on that and he liked to be around those positions as well, so that gave us a bit more tactical flexibility – but I like to have players in their best positions and his best position is on the right-hand side.”

Read his full pre-match thoughts by clicking HERE.

Welcome to Leicester

11:00

Saturday lunchtime football in the Midlands sunshine.

Buoyed by victory against Leeds United last time out, Palace arrive at the King Power full of confidence and determined to make it back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since May.

They face a struggling Leicester City in desperate need of points, sitting bottom of the table after nine games – but their victory over Nottingham Forest 12 days ago was a reminder that while form is temporary, class is permanent.

Can the Eagles head back to south London with three points?

We’ve got all the action for you LIVE from the King Power.