Manchester City have dominated the first half of their Premier League clash against Leicester City at the King Power, but the two teams have entered the break on level terms.
Illness had threatened to keep this season's Premier League leading scorer Jamie Vardy on the sidelines for this match, but the England international was named in the home side's starting XI and as expected, the Foxes attempted to utilise his pace in the early moments against Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala.
The majority of Man City's threat in the opening 10 minutes came down their left with Raheem Sterling and Aleksandar Kolarov linking, but neither team had a chance of real note in the early exchanges of the top-of-the-table clash in front of a packed house.
Leicester had a half-chance in the 16th minute when Robert Huth looked to send a header into the top corner after meeting a clipped free kick from Christian Fuchs, but his effort was always over Joe Hart's crossbar, before Kasper Schmeichel denied Kevin De Bruyne with a smart stop down the other end.
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Riyad Mahrez was next to come close in the 25th minute, but his long-range strike fizzed past the post during a spell where Man City were in control of the possession and Schmeichel was once again forced into action to deny Sterling moments later.
Schmeichel against Sterling became a common occurrence as the half progressed, with the former Man City goalkeeper needing to be at his best to keep out the Englishman, while Sergio Aguero also went close with a couple of attempts from distance.
Marc Albrighton came close to meeting a deep cross from Fuchs in the latter stages of the half, but the attacker could not convert, before Vardy fired over the crossbar after poor defending from the away side.
As it stands, Leicester remain second in the table, while Man City are jumping above Tottenham Hotspur into third.
Matt Law
