- Mahrez’s 16th goal of season
- Palace without PL win in 2016
- Leicester 8 points clear at top
- Four-straight 1-0 wins for Leicester
Leicester City ground out yet another 1-0 win as they beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Riyad Mahrez’s first half goal was the difference and the win could’ve been comfortable for the Foxes but a combination of brave Palace defending and missed chances saw them squeak to the win.
Palace battled hard throughout and created plenty of chances but the Foxes held on despite Damien Delaney smashing the crossbar.
With the victory Claudio Ranieri’s side moved eight points clear at the top of the table and now have 66 points, while Palace still haven’t won in 2016 and remain on 33 points.
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Leicester started brightly and Shinji Okzaki’s cross looped up towards the back post and towards Mahrez but he couldn’t get his head on the ball under pressure from Pape Souare.
The Foxes should have scored again as Danny Drinkwater’s ball set up Mahrez who went clean through but Wayne Hennessey blocked his shot.
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Palace began to grow into the game with Yannick Bolasie and Wilfred Zaha running at Leicester’s full backs and the former crossed for the latter but he fluffed his effort at the back post.
10 minutes before the break Leicester took the lead as Drinkwater played in Jamie Vardy and his pull back was swept home by Mahrez. 1-0.
Palace almost equalized within minutes but Bolasie’s deflected effort was saved superbly by Kasper Schmeichel and at the other end Marc Albrighton forced Hennessey into a smart stop down low.
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Leicester started the second half brightly and Albrighton teed up Okazaki who sent an effort just wide.
27 - Riyad Mahrez has been involved in more PL goals this season than anyone else (16 goals, 11 assists), two more than Vardy (25). Foxy.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 19, 2016
Okazaki then had another great chance as he put a header over the bar at the near post following Fuchs’ long-throw.
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Palace finished the game strongly and substitute Bakary Sako whipped in a dangerous delivery which nobody could get on the end of, then fellow sub Martin Kelly fizzed across an effort which Schmeichel held onto down low.
Robert Huth should have been awarded a penalty kick as Scott Dann held on to his shirt and dragged it off his back but nothing was given and at the other end shots were flying in from Palace as Schmeichel pushed away Sako’s effort acrobatically and then Huth blocked a shot from Cabaye.
A last-ditch tackle from Delaney denied Vardy who broke away late on, and Palace came agonizingly close to equalizing in stoppage time with Delaney thundering an effort against the crossbar.