Leicester City 1-0 Bristol City: Jamie Vardy scores from the spot as Foxes beat Robins

December 2023 · 5 minute read

Jamie Vardy scored from the penalty spot as a dominant Leicester beat a dogged Bristol City 1-0 at the King Power Stadium to return to the top of the Championship.

The veteran striker broke the deadlock midway through the second half after Wilfred Ndidi went down in the box having fallen over an outstretched leg from Kal Naismith.

Nigel Pearson's side had until then been frustrating his former club, holding firm to keep out a barrage of chances from the Foxes including Max O'Leary scooping clear a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall first-half header off the line.

Leicester smothered the visitors with 19 shots to their five - none of which were on target - to keep their first clean sheet at home in 17 games and move back to the summit of the league.

There was an element of déjà vu from when these sides last met in the league in 2012-13, with Pearson then on the touchline, Matty James in the starting 11 and Andy King on the substitutes' bench - albeit all three were representing Leicester rather than Bristol City.

The Robins, beaten twice 11 years ago, did well to weather a storm from Leicester during the first half an hour, with Abdul Fatawu dragging a shot wide and O'Leary saving an on-target, but relatively tame header, from Callum Doyle.

Fatawu - making his first start as one of five changes following the 2-0 win over Norwich on Wednesday - then had a shot from distance that the Bristol City keeper also palmed away.

The Robins' defence held firm though and they ended the half fairly strongly with two set-pieces that allowed them to put the ball in the hosts' box and get a first shot away.

Yet the flow continued almost entirely one way after the break with Bristol City well and truly pegged inside their own half.

Vardy nodded wide and hit another effort over, while O'Leary produced a memorable save off the line to keep out Dewsbury-Hall's point-blank downward header and then smother a shot from Mavididi.

Vardy finally scored the crucial goal in the 67th minute from the penalty spot, rubbing salt in the wound of Bristol City supporters by running to the away end to celebrate.

Jason Knight blasted a shot over while Andreas Weimann - returning from injury - lashed the ball at the near post but saw it rebound off Mads Hermansen to safety as the visitors were limited to half-chances on goal and fell to their first defeat in five games.

Leicester manager Enzo Maresca told BBC Radio Leicester:

"Perfect performance or almost perfect. Since minute one we dominated the game, we play on the opposite side and as I always said when they sit all their 10, 11 players in behind it's never easy to find a goal but at the end we deserved it.

"To win every game is very important but especially today after two wins away was very important and also against a tough team.

"They were in a good moment at the end [of the first half] but as I said when you are playing there and you need to find a goal found in the second half it was very good."

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol:

"We're all disappointed to lose via a penalty or via anything really, but I think what we saw today with this team is a collective spirit which shines through even in adversity.

"I can't ask for more. We're talking about creating a side with an identity and I think the players are doing that in a really fantastic way.

"We want to win games - of course we do - and we're all disappointed about the result but I can't question, and I don't question, the commitment of our players. I thought they were absolutely superb."

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 4-3-3

30Hermansen

21Ricardo Pereira3Faes23Vestergaard5Doyle

25Ndidi8Winks22Dewsbury-Hall

18Fatawu9Vardy10Mavididi

Substitutes

Bristol City

Formation 4-2-3-1

1O'Leary

19Tanner16Dickie4Naismith3Pring

6James8Williams

17Sykes12Knight20Bell

21Wells

Substitutes

Referee:James Bell

Attendance:31,679

Match Stats

Live Text

  • Match ends, Leicester City 1, Bristol City 0.

  • Second Half ends, Leicester City 1, Bristol City 0.

  • Attempt saved. Taylor Gardner-Hickman (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

  • Foul by Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City).

  • Ephraim Yeboah (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  • Attempt missed. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.

  • Attempt blocked. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Stephy Mavididi.

  • Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Rob Dickie.

  • Foul by Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City).

  • Kal Naismith (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  • Substitution, Bristol City. Anis Mehmeti replaces Jason Knight.

  • Substitution, Leicester City. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Jamie Vardy.

  • Substitution, Leicester City. Cesare Casadei replaces Wilfred Ndidi.

  • Attempt blocked. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

  • Attempt saved. Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

  • Attempt blocked. Andreas Weimann (Bristol City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked.

  • Attempt blocked. Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

  • Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Cameron Pring.

  • Attempt missed. Andreas Weimann (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Jason Knight.

  • Foul by Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City).

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