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EPL: Leicester leave it late to salvage point

October 28, 2018 08:26 IST

Leicester draw against 10-man West Ham

Leicester City

IMAGE: West Ham's Fabian Balbuena scores their first goal. Photograph: Andrew Yates/Reuters

Wilfred Ndidi netted a dramatic late equaliser on Saturday to help Leicester City secure a 1-1 draw with West Ham United, who played more than half the game with 10 men after Mark Noble was shown a straight red card.

Despite missing a host of key players, including Marko Arnautovic, Manuel Pellegrini's side thought they had secured all three points after Paraguay international Fabian Balbuena netted his first Premier League goal on the half-hour mark.

 

Felipe Anderson's free-kick was headed back across goal by Declan Rice and Balbuena saw his initial header come back off the post. But he reacted fastest and fired the loose ball into the back of the net.

Leicester were handed a lifeline when West Ham captain Noble was shown a red card for a studs-up challenge on Ndidi on 38 minutes.

The home side brought on dropped England striker Jamie Vardy at halftime and threw everything at the West Ham goal, but after Harry Maguire's header cannoned back off the bar on 66 minutes, it looked as though the visitors might hang on.

Benitez looks on bright side as Newcastle draw another blank

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez was determined to take the positives out of his side's goalless draw with Southampton despite their winless start to the Premier League season continuing on the south coast.

The North East club failed to register a shot on target at St Mary's Stadium.

But the point they earned lifted them off the bottom of the table, and Benitez hopes they will now finally get their season back on track.

“In the circumstances it is a positive result -- a clean sheet and one point away.” Benitez said.“We are in a difficult position but it is a small step forward in terms of confidence and showing the team can compete."

“In terms of work rate and team spirit, I can't complain. The fans realise it's a difficult situation and they got behind the team."

"In the circumstances it is a positive result, a clean sheet and one point away."

Southampton manager Mark Hughes believes his side need to be more ruthless in front of goal if they are to get back on the winning trail.

The Saints have now gone six Premier League games without a win and have yet to win at home this season.

Source: REUTERS
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