Tottenham 2 City 2
Report by Colin Hall
A debatable 89th minute penalty, converted by former Leicester loanee Harry Kane, denied the Foxes victory in a lively 3rd round FA Cup clash at White Hart Lane.
With an eye on the forthcoming midweek encounter, both sides rested a host of first-team players. Claudio Ranieri gave full debuts to loan signing Nathan Dyer and new arrival Demarai Gray, as only Kasper Schmeichel, N'Golo Kante and Leonardo Ulloa were retained in the starting line-up from the previous fixture.
Gray showed some useful touches early in the game, firing a 20-yard effort narrowly wide. However Spurs were the first team to settle, with Eriksen especially prominent.
It was little surprise that the Dane put the home side ahead, beating his compatriot from the edge of the area after Schmeichel had parried a drive from Chadli into his path.
Following the opener, Spurs pressed forward in a bid to extend their advantage. But they were caught cold by an equaliser from an unlikely source.
In a rare City break, a speculative Dyer cross was cleared for a corner, from which Gray's corner, superbly delivered, was headed home by Marcin Wasilewski, It was the Polish veteran's first goal in nearly a year, enthusiastically received by visiting hordes, greeting the end of a Foxes goal drought which had lasted over five hours.
Spurs continued to enjoy the bulk of possession for the rest of the half, but with Kane only on the bench, the attack lacked a cutting edge. Schmeichel dealt comfortably with shots and crosses that came his way, though his distribution occasionally left something to be desired.
Ranieri sought to give City a foothold in the game by replacing the unusually ineffective Kante with Shinji Okazaki at the break. It was a move which brought an instant reward.
After home keeper Vorm had tipped over a looping header from Yohan Benalouane, the resultant corner was cleared to young defender Ben Chilwell. He and Andy King combined to send Okazaki through on the left and the Japanese striker beat Vorm at the second attempt.
The goal gave heart and vigour to the whole City team, and while Spurs continued to keep the ball in the visiting half for long spells, they were rarely able to mount a serious threat.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Gray came within a whisker of marking an impressive debut with a goal as an excellent solo run was followed by a fierce drive which was deflected narrowly wide of the far post.
At that stage, a third City goal would probably have sealed the tie. Instead, the home side turned to their subs in an effort to force the equaliser. Both Bentaleb and Alli came close to grabbing it, but generally City held firm.
As the game entered the closing stages, Dyer and home left-back Rose tussled for the ball in the City area. While the ball clearly struck the hand of the City man, the question of intent looked difficult to assess.
Referee Madley – an official with a considerable history of previous penalty incidents involving City – clearly had no doubts, though, and awarded a spot-kick. Although Schmeichel anticipated the direction of Kane's delivery, the power proved too much for him.
Both sides pressed for a winner in the remaining minutes, but the deadlock could not be broken and the teams now face a replay – and additional unwanted fixture congestion – at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes, as hosts, will take a slight psychological advantage into that rematch, especially having avoided defeat with so many key players missing. But with the differences between the sides so marginal, nothing can be taken for granted.
Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Vorm; Trippier, Wimmer, Alderweireld, Rose (c); Dier (Bentaleb 68), Carroll (Kane 68); Chadli (Alli 73), Onomah, Eriksen; Son. Substitutes (not used): Lloris, Davies, Lamela, Winks.
Goals: Eriksen 9, Kane 89 (pen)
Booked: Bentaleb
Leicester (4-3-3): Schmeichel (c); De Laet, Wasilewski, Benalouane, Chilwell; Inler, Kante (Okazaki 46), King; Dyer, Ulloa, Gray (Albrighton 65). Substitutes (not used): Schwarzer, Drinkwater, Morgan, Simpson, Mahrez.
Goals: Wasilewski 19, Okazaki 48.
Booked: Wasilewski, Schmeichel.
Referee: Robert Madley Attendance: 35,805
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation