Match ends, Southampton 1, Leicester City 1.
SouthamptonSouthampton1LeicesterLeicester City1
Southampton held Leicester to a draw despite playing more than 80 minutes with 10 men to frustrate the Foxes in their push to clinch a top-four finish.
Jannick Vestergaard was controversially sent off after just 10 minutes when his tackle on Jamie Vardy was deemed to have denied the Leicester striker a goal-scoring opportunity.
Vestergaard, on the edge of his box and the last defender, got the ball with a lunging tackle but referee Robert Jones deemed his follow-through on to Vardy's ankle had prevented the striker running in on goal.
That decision set the game's pattern, Leicester probing while Southampton defended deep, but it was the Saints who took the lead in the 61st minute.
James Ward-Prowse scored from the penalty spot after Kelechi Iheanacho had blocked Stuart Armstrong's effort with his arm raised up by his head.
Jonny Evans headed in Iheanacho's cross eight minutes later for the equaliser but under near-constant pressure Southampton's defence held firm.
Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy brilliantly denied Vardy with his right boot from close range in the final 10 minutes.
The point takes Leicester eight points clear of fifth-placed West Ham having played a game more but they have a difficult end of the season to come.
Southampton edge 10 points clear of the relegation zone as they close in on guaranteeing their safety.
Leicester frustrated on south coast
The point takes Leicester closer to their goal of securing Champions League football next season but, having played against 10 men for so long, they should have ended the night with a 10-point cushion over fifth place.
Wilfried Ndidi dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box and Iheanacho came agonisingly close to meeting Marc Albrighton's cross in the closing stages.
Before Evans' equaliser, however, they had had created little despite dominating possession.
With Southampton in a defensive mindset visiting manager Brendan Rodgers replaced defender Wesley Fofana with forward Ayoze Perez at half-time but many of his side's 22 shots came from long distance.
It was Iheanacho, who has been Leicester's star in attack with 12 goals in nine games, who foolishly closed down Armstrong's shot with his arm raised for Southampton's penalty. He did at least redeem himself with a fine left-footed cross for Evans' equaliser.
Leicester are still in a fantastic position for a top-four finish but their slump at the end of last season, plus the fact they have trips to Manchester United and Chelsea to come as well as a game against Tottenham on the final day, means Champions League qualification is not yet certain.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Southampton
Starting XI
Avg
Squad number1Player nameMcCarthyAverage rating7.97
Squad number2Player nameWalker-PetersAverage rating8.21
Squad number35Player nameBednarekAverage rating7.70
- Squad number4Player nameVestergaardAverage rating
6.37
Squad number5Player nameStephensAverage rating7.44
- Squad number19Player nameMinaminoAverage rating
6.76
Squad number8Player nameWard-ProwseAverage rating7.84
- Squad number17Player nameArmstrongAverage rating
7.91
- Squad number23Player nameTellaAverage rating
6.94
- Squad number10Player nameAdamsAverage rating
7.53
Squad number11Player nameRedmondAverage rating7.16
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number22Player nameSalisuAverage rating
7.81
- Squad number27Player nameDialloAverage rating
7.11
- Squad number40Player nameN'LunduluAverage rating
6.70
Leicester City
Starting XI
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameSchmeichelAverage rating
5.15
- Squad number3Player nameFofanaAverage rating
5.15
- Squad number6Player nameEvansAverage rating
5.76
- Squad number4Player nameSöyüncüAverage rating
5.06
- Squad number27Player nameCastagneAverage rating
5.23
- Squad number25Player nameNdidiAverage rating
4.96
- Squad number8Player nameTielemansAverage rating
4.87
- Squad number33Player nameThomasAverage rating
4.67
- Squad number10Player nameMaddisonAverage rating
4.37
- Squad number14Player nameIheanachoAverage rating
5.47
- Squad number9Player nameVardyAverage rating
4.31
Substitutes
Avg
- Squad number11Player nameAlbrightonAverage rating
4.64
- Squad number17Player nameAyoze PérezAverage rating
4.50
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-4-2
- 1McCarthy
- 2Walker-Peters
- 35Bednarek
- 4VestergaardBooked at 10mins
- 5Stephens
- 19MinaminoBooked at 50minsSubstituted forDialloat 76'minutes
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 17Armstrong
- 23TellaSubstituted forSalisuat 15'minutes
- 10AdamsSubstituted forN'Lunduluat 90+1'minutes
- 11Redmond
Substitutes
- 12Djenepo
- 22Salisu
- 27Diallo
- 31Ramsay
- 32Walcott
- 40N'Lundulu
- 44Forster
- 47Ferry
- 64Jankewitz
Leicester
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 1Schmeichel
- 3FofanaSubstituted forPérezat 45'minutes
- 6Evans
- 4Söyüncü
- 27Castagne
- 25Ndidi
- 8Tielemans
- 33ThomasSubstituted forAlbrightonat 69'minutes
- 10Maddison
- 14Iheanacho
- 9Vardy
Substitutes
- 11Albrighton
- 12Ward
- 17Pérez
- 18Amartey
- 19Ünder
- 20Choudhury
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 24Mendy
- 26Praet
- Referee:
- Robert Jones
Match Stats
Home TeamSouthamptonAway TeamLeicester
- Possession
- Home29%
- Away71%
- Shots
- Home5
- Away23
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away9
- Corners
- Home0
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Southampton 1, Leicester City 1.
Post update
Foul by Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City).
Post update
James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Daniel N'Lundulu replaces Che Adams.
Post update
Attempt missed. Timothy Castagne (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Youri Tielemans with a cross.
Post update
Attempt missed. Marc Albrighton (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left following a corner.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Alex McCarthy.
Post update
Attempt missed. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Marc Albrighton with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.
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Offside, Leicester City. Youri Tielemans tries a through ball, but Jonny Evans is caught offside.
Post update
Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Stuart Armstrong (Southampton).
Post update
Attempt missed. Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Youri Tielemans.
Post update
Attempt saved. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by James Maddison.
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Foul by Jamie Vardy (Leicester City).
Post update
Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Çaglar Söyüncü with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Ibrahima Diallo replaces Takumi Minamino.
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Comments
Join the conversation
He clearly won the ball, how can he be sent off for denying a scoring opportunity?
We have a huge problem with refs. They may know most of the rules. They might even understand some of them, but they have zero understanding of the game.
Rob Jones take a bow. Took some doing to trump Lee Mason & Mike Dean, but you managed it.
Unbelievable Jeff ! I am done with professional football.
That's what defenders are meant to do, stop the other team from scoring, in this case, legitimately. Not his fault the attacking player wasn't quick enough.
Football fan!
It was clearly the wrong decision, she should grow up and admit it.
She was as inept as the ref!