- LC remain 2nd, MC go 3rd
- Foxes held scoreless for 2nd straight
- MC: 1 goal in last 5 away matches
Manchester City’s struggles away from home continue, as the Citizens were held scoreless at the King Power Stadium in a 0-0 draw with Leicester City.
It was a deserved draw for both sides, as neither team looked overly dangerous moving forward. Leicester City is now tied with Arsenal on points at the top of the table, although the Foxes sit second on goal differential. Manchester City will enter 2016 in third place.
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Manchester City had the better of possession in the first half, with Raheem Sterling looking the most dangerous man on the attack. Despite the lopsided possession numbers, City did not create many dangerous goalscoring chances.
City’s best chance of the half came from Sterling, who controlled with his chest and fired a shot on goal, forcing Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to get down and make a strong save.
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After a relatively slow opening to the match, Leicester suddenly found life and nearly took the lead in the final ten minutes of the half. Christian Fuchs whipped in a cross the slid right through the box, fizzing past Jamie Vardy and an outstretched Marc Albrighton. Seconds later, Vardy pick-pocketed Fernandinho on the top of the box, but fired his shot high over the net.
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Manchester City should have went ahead just a minute into the first half, as Kevin de Bruyne hit a low cross into Sergio Aguero at the near post. From just yards out, Aguero somehow saw his flick go over the bar, as the striker is clearly still trying to find his form after coming back from injury.
Reminder that Leicester's starting XI cost $32.5 million & Man City's cost $473 million. No real difference on this showing. #LCFC 0-0 #MCFC
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) December 29, 2015
Aguero had a penalty shout just after the hour mark, as the striker looked to have been taken down by Gokhan Inler in the box. However, referee Craig Pawson made no call and the play was Aguero’s last action, as he was taken off and replaced by Wilfried Bony.
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Leicester nearly broke the deadlock in the 77th minute, with Riyad Mahrez and Christian Fuchs standing over a free kick. Mahrez touched the ball to Fuchs, whose shot was headed towards the top corner only to be parried wide by a diving Joe Hart.
The Foxes looked more likely to find a game-winner late in the match, although the 90 minutes ended scoreless in a result both sides will take.