Leeds United blow as Leicester City survive huge scare for major boost after star's heroics

Leeds United’s big promotion rivals Leicester City survived a huge scare en route to a huge boost but Whites blow in the Championship’s automatic promotion race.

Enzo Maresca’s Foxes took on West Brom at the King Power in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off as Leicester looked to bounce back from consecutive defeats.

The Foxes eventually recorded a 2-1 victory to move top and four points clear of third-placed Leeds but only after West Brom had missed a series of glorious chances, Leicester saved three times by three goalline clearances from the superb Hamza Choudhury.

West Brom dominated the opening exchanges but squandered several golden chances, Choudhury saving the Foxes with his first superb goalline clearance to keep out Mikey Johnston’s strike from a rapid counter.

Leicester then punished the Baggies by going ahead in the 22nd minute through Wilfred Ndidi who converted from close range after Albion keeper Alex Palmer had kept out a Jamie Vardy header but only parried the ball into Ndidi’s path.

The goal appeared to knock the Baggies for six and Carlos Corberan’s side then conceded a penalty on the stroke of half-time as Okay Yokuslu took down Vardy on the corner of the box.

Vardy stepped up to take the spot kick but rifled his effort against the left-hand post, the ball bouncing away to safety and offering West Brom fresh hope as the Foxes instead only entered the interval one goal to the good.

Leicester then started the second half on the front foot but incredibly Choudhury then saved Leicester again with a double goalline clearance to deny first Yann M’Vila and then a follow-up attempt from Kyle Bartley.

The post then saved the Foxes from the following corner and a huge chance was wasted on the rebound as the ball was scrambled wide. At the other end, Vardy squandered another good chance for Leicester but another glorious Baggies opportunity was then wasted as Grady Diangana could only side-foot the ball wide from close range.

The Baggies could have scored a hatful but instead Corberan’s side found themselves 2-0 down in the 65th minute as a superb cross from Abdul Fatawu picked out Vardy who applied a clinical headed finish to double the Foxes lead.

West Brom finally pulled a goal back in the 76th minute as a brilliant through ball from Cedric Kipre played in Jed Wallace who applied a composed finish to slot the ball past Foxes keeper Mads Hermansen.

The Baggies then pressed for an equaliser but the damage had been done as Leicester bounced back to winning ways. The victory has left Leicester two points ahead of second-placed Ipswich Town and four points ahead of third-placed Leeds, all three teams having three games left.