Leicester City have missed the chance to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League table having been held to a 2-2 draw by West Bromwich Albion at the King Power Stadium this evening.
The Foxes came from behind but then squandered a one-goal lead as they dropped two points in the title race, giving Tottenham Hotspur the chance to move top of the table on Wednesday night.
The visitors took a surprise lead after just 12 minutes when Salomon Rondon shrugged off the challenge of Robert Huth to latch on to Darren Fletcher's through-ball before sliding his finish underneath the onrushing Kasper Schmeichel.
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Leicester had come from behind to beat the Baggies in their last two meetings, and they almost came up with an immediate response again when Shinji Okazaki stole in to flick Huth's header over the crossbar from close range.
The Foxes initially appeared to be struggling to break down their opposition, as was also the case last time out against Norwich City, but they did create another chance to level things up in the 27th minute when Jamie Vardy glanced a header from Mahrez's cross straight into the arms of Ben Foster.
In the end it took a big slice of luck for Leicester to make their breakthrough, with Danny Drinkwater's long-range drive taking a huge deflection off Jonas Olsson and looping over a helpless Foster into the top corner.
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Leicester were the width of the crossbar away from taking the lead six minutes later when Drinkwater turned provider to find Vardy, who planted a firm header against the crossbar.
That second goal would arrive right on the stroke of half time, however, as Marc Albrighton's cross was flicked inside by Mahrez, allowing Andy King to coolly sweep the ball home.
The Baggies were level again within five minutes of the restart, though, as Mahrez was penalised for a handball just outside his own penalty area and Craig Gardner left Schmeichel rooted to the spot when curling the subsequent free kick into the top corner.
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Again Leicester went in search of a quick response and, after Albrighton had forced a routine stop from Foster, the hosts were denied by the crossbar for the second time in the match when Okazaki's powerful header clipped the frame of the goal.
After Leicester's opening goal, it appeared as though luck had deserted the Foxes, and that view was strengthened when Jeffrey Schlupp's goalbound effort hit Claudio Yacob and flew straight into the grasp of Foster from point-blank range.
West Brom were asking questions themselves, though, and after Rondon had fired over from close range, Gardner left Schmeichel rooted to the spot with another free kick, although this one swerved narrowly off target.
Between those two openings was one for Vardy as he hustled and harried Gareth McAuley to win possession before bearing down on goal, but Foster was equal to the England international's low drive.
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Vardy had another sight of goal with less than 10 minutes left, although this time he failed to trouble the keeper with a scuffed effort on his weaker left foot after Mahrez and Schlupp had combined well.
Time continued to tick away for the home side, but they had another chance to nick a win when the ball dropped to Wes Morgan inside the area, only for Foster to spread himself and deny the Leicester skipper.
There was still time for one last chance with the last action of the match, but Leonardo Ulloa failed to get anything on Mahrez's header across goal and Leicester were forced to settle for a point that sees them move three clear at the top of the table.
Claudio Ranieri's side will now lose top spot on goal difference should Spurs win at West Ham United tomorrow evening. West Brom, meanwhile, are now 12 points clear of the drop zone courtesy of the point.
Barney Corkhill
