Leicester frustrated by battling West Brom
Even if he believes his side are not title favourites, Claudio Ranieri will have expected Leicester to win this match and on the balance of play they deserved to.
Twice the Foxes rattled the crossbar and plenty of other chances were carved out too on a night where frustration was very much the buzz word.
There was little that could be done about Salomon Rondon’s well-taken opener, nor did Kasper Schmeichel have a chance of stopping Craig Gardner’s free-kick, but there will still be a bitter taste in Ranieri’s mouth.
The Italian will be thankful, however, that Danny Drinkwater and Andy King ensured at least a point was taken from the match.
“We should have won the game,” said goalscorer King. “They only had a couple of shots and they scored. We have to pick ourselves up again and go on Saturday.
“We’ve got that belief, so we always thought we would score. It’s disappointing.”
In the now customary cauldron atmosphere of the King Power, Leicester started in their typical full throttle manner.
Marc Albrighton and Riyad Mahrez drove at the full-backs, while Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki hassled the central defenders.
But in doing so they came up against a West Brom side starting in their typical manner as the visitors’ organised defence frustrated the league leaders.
Then, in a Leicester-like fashion, Tony Pulis’ side proceeded to hit their opponents on the counter and take the lead after 11 minutes.
Darren Fletcher found room in the centre of the pitch and his pin-point pass split Wes Morgan and Robert Huth, allowing Rondon to march into the box and slide the ball under Kasper Schmeichel.
This was most certainly not in the script and a true test of Leicester’s title credentials was on the cards.
But just when the doubters were sharpening their knives, Claudio Ranieri’s men responded once more.
Okazaki twice went close and Vardy headed straight at Ben Foster as the Foxes began to put the comeback wheels in motion.
Then, with 15 minutes until the break, they were back on level terms.
Last season as they lay slumped at the bottom of the table, it felt as though nothing was going Leicester’s way. But the times have most certainly changed and Drinkwater’s equaliser epitomised the turn around.
With little on from outside the box, the midfielder let fly and his effort took a wicked deflection as it looped over a despairing Foster.
The King Power erupted, Ranieri punched the air and you could almost feel the momentum shifting towards the hosts.
Vardy smashed a header against the crossbar and Mahrez danced his way through the box before two defenders stopped him.
However it was merely a momentary delay as on the stroke of half-time, Leicester were in front. Albrighton’s whipped cross from the left found Mahrez, who deftly flicked the ball into the path of the on-rushing Andy King.
The Welshman, who was filling in for the injured Kante, made no mistake and curled the ball into the net.
Suddenly the script was reading a little more to plan.
All Leicester fans now wanted was a quiet second half in which their side saw out what would be a priceless victory.
But football rarely gives supporters what they desire and just five minutes after the interval West Brom were back on level terms as Craig Gardner curled a free-kick into the top corner.
The doubters were back and it was time for Leicester to go again.
And just as they did in the first-half, Ranieri’s men responded with a barrage of attacks on the West Brom goal.
Okazaki rattled the crossbar after another stunning cross from Albrighton, before substitute Jeff Schlupp drew another fine save from Foster.
But in their eagerness to grab all three points, Leicester had to be wary about coming away with none as West Brom threatened them on the counter.
Indeed Rondon nearly silenced the vocal home crowd with 25 minutes to go, but the striker somehow managed to scoop a cross over the bar from just a few yards out.
That scare seemed to spark Leicester into life and again they went close as a Huth header flashed past a relieved Foster’s post.
The introduction of Demarai Gray for left-back Fuchs with 10 minutes to play signaled Ranieri’s hunger for the three points, aware of the pressure it would put on Arsenal and Tottenham.
Leicester subsequently threw everything at their opponents.
Morgan drew a brilliant close-range stop from Foster, before Leonardo Ulloa failed to recreate his weekend heroics after missing from two yards.
The draw means the dream leaves on, but Leicester have been given a wake-up call.
Schmeichel 6; Simpson 6, Huth 5, Morgan 6, Fuchs 7 (78 Gray 6); Mahrez 7, King 7, Drinkwater 7, Albrighton 8 (62 Schlupp 5); Okazaki 7 (62 Ulloa 4), Vardy 6.
Schwarzer, Wasilewski, Amartey, Inler.
Foster 7; Dawson 5, Olsson 6, McAuley 6, Chester 5; Sessegnon 6 (90 Sandro 5), Yacob 5, Fletcher 8, Gardner 7 (82 McClean 5); Rondon 7 (90 Anichebe 6), Berahino 6.
Myhill, Gamboa, Pritchard, Lambert.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
