THIS was always going to be the first authentic examination of Claudio Ranieri’s co-leaders, and while at the final whistle the Italian wasn’t exactly celebrating like an Oxbridge-bound teenager brandishing three A-grades, his team ended the day undefeated, and looking as likely as their visitors to secure all three points.
Never mind that Tottenham are still in a state of transformation, and that unless they can agree a fee for Saido Berahino of around £25m with West Brom they will look as thin up top as Donald Trump. That situation is exacerbated by the fact that England forward Harry Kane is still to score this season. In front of England manager Roy Hodgson, he toiled all afternoon but was granted only one opening, and shot straight at home goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
That all said about the visitors, there was little to separate a team with the top four as their target and one whose first priority is avoidance of the bottom three. And certainly, the hosts lack nothing in desire to maintain their lofty status. When teenaged Spurs substitute Dele Alli headed his team into an 81st-minute lead some sides would have capitulated. City replied within a minute through the excellent Riyad Mahrez, scoring his fourth goal of the season, and but for the intervention of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris would have won late on.
Ranieri stressed: “I wanted to see the gap between us and a team which is bidding to reach the Champions League. Tottenham have achieved five times in the last six years the Europa League. The quality of the Tottenham players is very high. But the [hot] weather didn’t help us today because our qualities are different from Tottenham. That’s okay. The draw was right. I appreciate the spirit of the team. We played very well tactically and I am very satisfied.”
Kane will be satisfied with his own exhibition, but not the end product. Goal invitations have become scarce for the striker who scored four against these opponents last season. His tally was 31 in all competitions last season but, significantly, he has garnered only two in 11 club games since scoring on his England debut.
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Have defenders worked out how to frustrate him? It looks that way, though the openings simply aren’t coming. Before half-time, he had barely 10 touches as he scoured the final third sourcing openings, spending much of his time on the flanks. Just before the interval, he scampered after a long ball forward but, unsupported, shot tamely wide.
Not until after the hour did he create his first chance, slaloming through the home rearguard before shooting straight at Schmeichel.
His manager, Mauricio Pochettino, professed himself happy with his forward’s performance. Pressed on more transfer targets, including Berahino, he added: “Always we need to have the balance and we have some targets and maybe in the next few days we can help a little bit more, and the team a little bit more, too.
“We need to improve, to compete better. We conceded two goals against Stoke and again one today. This is my concern. My focus next week is to compete much better than today and in the last game.”
His counterpart, Ranieri, has unusually been steadfast in the selection of his starting side, staying faithful to the same XI for the third successive week. That meant no starting place for Switzerland midfielder Gokhan Inler, signed from Napoli for £5m. For Spurs, Erik Lamela replaced the injured Christian Eriksen.
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Robert Huth and captain Wes Morgan were defiance personified at the back, and before the break ensured every Spurs attempt was from distance. Schmeichel’s only serious threat was a long-range Mousa Dembele effort which forced him into a diving save.
Just before the break, Mahrez went down in the area under Jan Vertonghen’s challenge. Referee Martin Atkinson was unmoved. After the interval, Mahrez energised a crowd unfamiliar with a blank scoreline and forced Lloris into saving with his foot after being sent clear by Jamie Vardy.
But it was Tottenham who began to assert themselves during the second half and Nacer Chadli, who had opened his account last week, could have done better with two opportunities. Finally substitute Alli showed him the way, arriving late at the far post to head home Chadli’s cross.
Mahrez swiftly equalised. Though Hodgson will have been here to watch Kane, his eye would have been taken by the lively Vardy, who won the header which Mahrez took in his stride and curled a splendid effort beyond Lloris. The Spurs goalkeeper somehow blocked Morgan’s attempt after Mahrez had set him up as Leicester sought victory, but that would have flattered Ranieri’s men.
Star man: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City)
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Leicester City: Schmeichel 6, De Laet 6, Huth 6, Morgan 7, Schlupp 7, Mahrez 8 (Ulloa 90+4min, 5), King 6, Drinkwater 6 (Inler 80min, 5), Albrighton 6 (Kante 78min, 5), Okazaki 7, Vardy 7
Tottenham: Lloris 6, Walker 6, Alderweireld 7, Vertonghen 7, Davies 6, Dier 6, Mason 6 (Bentaleb 88min, 5), Dembele 6 (Carroll 77min, 5), Lamela 5 (Alli 65min, 6), Chadli 6, Kane 6