James Maddison salvages visitors Leicester a point to deny Claudio Ranieri's Fulham

Fulham 1-1 Leicester City: The hosts took the lead thanks to Aboubakar Kamara before Ranieri's old side responded through Maddison's second-half strike

James Maddison celebrates equalising for the Foxes (Getty)

Claudio Ranieri was denied a sweet victory over the club he so memorably led to the title as James Maddison snatched a point for Leicester.

Ranieri, looking for a second win in three matches since taking over at Fulham, looked on course for three valuable points and the chance to climb away from the foot of the table when Aboubakar Kamara fired them ahead.

But Fulham, the only team in the English league without a clean sheet to their name this season, conceded with a quarter of an hour remaining with some familiar sloppy defending.

Ranieri was in the opposition dugout against Leicester for the first time since famously steering the 5,000-1 shots to the Premier League crown in 2016.

Despite his dismissal nine months later he will always retain a strong bond with the club’s supporters, one which deepened following the tragic helicopter crash which killed owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others in October

Ranieri used his programme notes to pay tribute to Vichai, and the 67-year-old received a warm welcome from all four corners of Craven Cottage as the teams made their way out.

Aboubakar Kamara put his side ahead minutes before the break (Getty Images)

One familiar face, Jamie Vardy, who provided the firepower behind that remarkable campaign, was missing from the Leicester line-up through injury.

Vardy’s replacement in the starting line-up was Kelechi Iheanacho, who had the first chance of the match following a mistake in midfield by Jean Michael Seri.

Maddison pounced on the loose ball and played Iheanacho through on goal but the striker hit Sergio Rico’s torso as he tried to lift the ball over the keeper.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, handed the captaincy by Ranieri, tested Kasper Schmeichel when he got a touch on a low effort from Maxime Le Marchand.

City keeper Schmeichel then had to dive at full stretch to tip a fierce drive from Calum Chambers around his post.

Leicester could have had a penalty when Ben Chilwell’s cross brushed the hand of Cyrus Christie but referee David Coote thought otherwise.

This was the Italian’s first game against his former club (Getty)

The visitors threatened again when another Chilwell centre was headed wide by Wes Morgan.

But Fulham kept the pressure on and Chambers’ shot was deflected over the crossbar before Mitrovic nodded just off target.

As the first half drew to a close Rico did well to keep out another Morgan header at the far post, while Luciano Vietto looked certain to fire Fulham ahead after a weaving run into the area only for Chilwell to make a goal-saving block.

It was Fulham who made the breakthough three minutes before half-time, Kamara latching on to a Mitrovic flick and charging to the byline before turning past the sliding Caglar Soyuncu and firing across Schmeichel into the net.

Ranieri made a change at half-time, bringing on the dependable Tom Cairney for the distinctly more loose-cannon style of Vietto.

The move almost paid dividends when Cairney took aim from the edge of the penalty area and curled his shot inches wide.

Ben Chilwell crosses the ball under pressure from Aboubakar Kamara (Getty Images)

Alfie Mawson also went close with a header as Fulham attempted to make their ascendancy count.

Yet Leicester boss Claude Puel had a trick or two up his sleeve too, and two minutes after he sent on Shinji Okazaki the Japan forward created the equaliser.

Okazaki played a one-two with fellow substitute Demari Gray before finding Maddison all alone in the penalty area to rifle his side level.

Mitrovic and Denis Odoi missed presentable chances in stoppage time as Leicester held out to make it six matches unbeaten – their longest run without a defeat since you-know-who did you-know-what.