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Premier League

Jan 2, 2016 at 3pm UK

Leicester Leicester City
0-0
Bournemouth

Riyad Mahrez misses penalty as Leicester fail to overcome 10-man Bournemouth

By Pascal Lemesre, Football League Editor | 02 January 2016

Leicester City's winless run is extended to three games as they draw a blank at home to Bournemouth, who had to play over half an hour with 10 men.

Riyad Mahrez had a penalty saved as Leicester City's winless run was extended to three games with a goalless draw at home to Bournemouth, who had to play over half an hour with 10 men at the King Power Stadium.

Ngolo Kante and Harry Arter in action during the game between Leicester and Bournemouth on January 2, 2016 © Getty Images

Mahrez flashed over an audacious overhead attempt early in the game, but it was Bournemouth who were seeing more of the ball and they should have gone in front in the 14th minute.

Simon Francis sent over a deep cross that seemed to be sailing out of play until Junior Stanislas headed back across goal for Joshua King, who nodded wide from six yards.

The Cherries continued to dictate the play, but Leicester were inches from breaking the deadlock midway through the half when the league's joint top scorer Jamie Vardy pounced on a wayward shot from strike partner Leonardo Ulloa and toe-poked against the inside of the post from close range.

Dan Gosling was then guilty of firing over with another Bournemouth opening, while Vardy again threatened at the other end with a shot from a tight angle that went agonisingly across the face of goal.

Superstar Jamie Vardy in action during the game between Leicester and Bournemouth on January 2, 2016 © Getty Images

Bournemouth seemed to lose some of their momentum after the break, and Leicester went close twice within a minute soon after the resumption as Vardy was denied by Artur Boruc before Wes Morgan spooned over from the resulting corner.

The game then swung in Leicester's favour in the 57th minute when Francis was sent off for bringing down Vardy as the last man in the area. Replays suggested that the Cherries captain, although it was a risky lunge, did take the ball away from the England international and was harshly dismissed by Andre Marriner.

Mahrez was the man to take the penalty and he was denied by Boruc, who flung himself to his left and palmed the ball away from goal to keep the scores level.

Eddie Howe quickly brought on Sylvain Distin to fill the gap and the veteran defender helped Bournemouth frustrate Leicester for the remainder.

Vardy went closest to a winner with a flicked header from a corner that looped just wide, while the striker also wanted a second penalty when he was tumbled under the challenge of Gosling, but Marriner pointed for a goal kick.

With Arsenal winning at home against Newcastle, Leicester fall two points behind the Gunners at the top of the table, while Bournemouth move four clear of the drop zone in the bottom half.