Ferdinand lets Saints off hook

Southampton 0 Leicester 0

Given the terrible finishing on show, it was no surprise the full-time score was 0-0.

The draw represents a valuable point for City's battle against relegation but Les Ferdinand will be kicking himself for missing the best chance of the game - a 12-yard sitter.

Saints kicked off on the back of three straight defeats a run boss Gordon Strachan described as his worst spell in two years at St Mary's.

Kevin Phillips went closest for Strachan's men. The striker shot a foot wide, so his league goals drought now 16 games and counting since his opening-day strike at Leicester goes on.

Nikos Dabizas made his debut in the City backline after his move from Newcastle and despite Southampton's poor form, they started very much on top.

Fernandes went close on the quarter-hour mark, receiving the ball in space on the left side of the penalty area and brushing the outside of the far post with an angled drive.

City hit back and Antti Niemi punched away Muzzy Izzet's 25-yard free-kick.

Adams' men should have been ahead at the midway point in the first period - but Ferdinand missed a sitter. Marcus Bent chested down Jordan Stewart's cross and the former Tottenham man sliced wide from 12 yards.

Saints centre-back Claus Lundekvam limped off with a thigh injury and James Beattie and Anders Svensson were both off-target with thumping shots.

The second half began at a better tempo than the first had ended.

But the calibre of the contest was summed up when Leicester's Callum Davidson ballooned a shot high and wide from outside the area.

Phillips almost broke his barren spell in front of goal in the 58th minute but his shot went beyond the far post.

Beattie skied a shot when Jason Dodd, switched to left-back, fired in a delivery from the wing. Then City substitute Paul Dickov powered a 25-yarder just wide late on as the game finished scoreless.

SOUTHAMPTON: Niemi, Dodd, Michael Svensson, Lundekvam (Delap 42), Higginbotham, Telfer, Anders Svensson, Prutton, Fernandes (McCann 77), Phillips (Delgado 83), Beattie.

LEICESTER: Walker, Impey, Dabizas, Howey, Stewart, Thatcher, Izzet, Scowcroft, Davidson, Bent, Ferdinand (Dickov 64).

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire).