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Premier League
Aug 20, 2016 at 5.30pm UK
 
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Leicester City, Arsenal play out stalemate at King Power Stadium

Leicester City and Arsenal, last season's top two sides in the Premier League, are made to wait for their first win of the season after playing out a goalless draw.

Leicester City and Arsenal had to settle for a point apiece in their Premier League clash on Saturday, with neither side able to find a breakthrough at the King Power Stadium.

Last season's top two teams were both desperate for maximum points following their respective opening-game defeats, but in the end it proved to be a frustrating - albeit eventful - evening.

The Gunners edged things in terms of the chances across the 90 minutes, although City had two big shouts for a penalty turned down by referee Mark Clattenburg - including one in the final minute of the match.

Arsene Wenger took the decision to rush Laurent Koscielny back for his first appearance of the summer, partnering the Frenchman alongside the inexperienced Rob Holding in defence.

Holding, preferred to Calum Chambers who dropped down to the bench for this one, was forced into making a big challenge just 11 seconds into the match when taking the ball from Jamie Vardy.

The signs may have been ominous for the Gunners at that early stage, but it was they who enjoyed more of the ball in the first half as they made constant inroads down both flanks.

It took all of 25 minutes for the first attempt to arrive, however, as Alexis Sanchez sent in a free kick from deep that went right the way through and required a big dive from Kasper Schmeichel to push it aside to safety.

Sanchez, fielded as the focal point in the Gunners' attack once more this evening, came close moments later when working a yard of space and firing a shot on goal from the edge of the area.

The visitors may have been on top for large parts, but it was Leicester who felt that they should have been given a penalty to open the scoring right on the brink of half time when Koscielny brought down Danny Drinkwater.

Petr Cech initially did well to get to the ball ahead of Vardy following a quick City counter, but the ball fell into the path of Drinkwater who was brought to ground by Koscielny - referee Clattenburg deciding that the Frenchman got a touch to the ball before sending his opponent to ground.

Having seen that huge call go against them, there was to be a further blow for the Foxes early in the second half when summer signing Nampalys Mendy - a direct replacement for N'Golo Kante - was forced off with an ankle injury.

There was a sense that all the decisions were starting to go against the hosts when Francis Coquelin, already on a yellow card, somehow avoided further punishment for clattering into Riyad Mahrez.

Mahrez was quick to brush himself down and blast the subsequent free kick narrowly over the bar in a rare near miss, with Hector Bellerin and Vardy also seeing openings come and go as the half wore on.

Arsenal were the team still on top heading into the final stages of the match, aided by the introduction of both Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud in attack, but Theo Walcott was unable to make the most of his one opportunity as Wes Morgan lunged in to block.

For all Arsenal's attacking play, again it was Leicester who may well have nicked it as substitute Ahmed Musa was sent tumbling by Bellerin in the 90th minute, and again Clattenburg refused to point to the spot despite the strong appeals.

There was still time for Mahrez to win it right at the death, though he could not squeeze the ball past Cech as the two teams were made to settle for a point apiece - a first of the campaign for both.

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Danny Drinkwater celebrates scoring during the Premier League game between Chelsea and Leicester City on May 15, 2016
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6Manchester CityMan City2110563829935
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19Leicester CityLeicester2135132346-2314
20Southampton2013161244-326


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