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Premier League

Jan 2, 2016 at 3pm UK

Leicester Leicester City
0-0
Bournemouth

Riyad Mahrez to stay on penalty duty for Leicester City

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor | 03 January 2016

Claudio Ranieri says that Riyad Mahrez is free to continue taking Leicester City's penalties after failing to score from 12 yards against Bournemouth.

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has insisted that Riyad Mahrez can still take the club's penalties after he failed to score from the spot against Bournemouth yesterday.

Second-placed Leicester failed to score for the third game in a row against the Cherries, but they had a golden opportunity to do so when Simon Francis was adjudged to have brought down Jamie Vardy in the area as the last man.

Mahrez, who gave Leicester's last penalty to Vardy so that he could continue his run of scoring in consecutive games earlier in the season, saw his effort saved by Artur Boruc before the 10-man Cherries held out for a point at the King Power Stadium.

Asked if Mahrez would take Leicester's next penalty, Ranieri told reporters: "Yes, it's okay for me.

"I am calm. They speak every time, Jamie and him, who wants to shoot the penalty. That is fine.

"I say nothing [to Mahrez], I say continue because you will get another chance, you will create another chance. Only the man who works can make mistakes, it can happen. In the dressing room I said 'don't worry'."

Yesterday's draw - Leicester's third game without a win - means that they are two points behind Arsenal at the top of the table.