The Premier League’s two top-scoring teams played out a subdued stalemate as Leicester City drew 0-0 with Manchester City at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday night.
As a consequence of this result, Arsenal will end 2015 at the top of the table, ahead of Leicester on goal difference and three points ahead of Man City.
The visitors had the better of a cagey first half, with Raheem Sterling the brightest player on the pitch. Sterling latched onto Bacary Sagna’s flick to force a good save out of Kasper Schmeichel.
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Leicester, three days on from just their second Premier League defeat of the season, seemed more cautious than usual in the opening 45 minutes, as they sat deep and allowed Man City time on the ball in their own half.
However, the Foxes grew in confidence after the break as Claudio Ranieri retuned to the 4-4-2 pressing style that has served his side so well in recent months.
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Leicester shaded the second period, but their hearts were in their mouths just after the hour mark when Sergio Aguero – moments before he was substituted after a 5/10 performance – went down and cried penalty. The referee said no, but the replay suggested that there was contact.
On a night where chances were few and far between, it was an off-the-ball incident between Robert Huth and Nicolas Otamendi that was the major highlight.
The altercation, which really should embarrass Otamendi, occurred in the dying moments of the match.
Man City: Hart 7; Sagna 7, Otamendi 7, Mangala 6, Kolarov 6; Toure 7, Fernandinho 6; Silva 6 (Navas – 74 mins – 5), Sterling 8 (Iheanacho – 89 mins – n/a), De Bruyne 6; Aguero 5 (Bony – 63 mins – 6).
Leicester: Schmeichel 8; Simpson 6, Huth 7, Morgan 7, Fuchs 7; Inler 7 (Ulloa – 66 mins – 6), Drinkwater 7 (King – 80 mins – 6), Kante 8; Mahrez 6, Vardy 7, Albrighton 6 (Ritchie de Laet – 92 mins – n/a).