Riyad Mahrez to the rescue as Leicester see out frustrating draw against West Brom
Leicester City 1 West Bromwich Albion 1: The visitors looked on course for all three points after Nacer Chadli's free-kick but the Algerian saved the Foxes with 10 minutes to go
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The man known as ‘Healing Hans’ almost helped rub salt into Craig Shakespeare’s wounds before Riyad Mahrez eased his boss’s pain and reminded Leicester City fans of his talent.
Recalled West Brom midfielder Nacer Chadli - fresh from a visit to renowned German doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt - looked set to condemn Shakespeare to another depressing defeat when he marked his first Premier League appearance of the season with a fine free-kick goal.
But Mahrez shrugged off his indifferent form to have the last word with a priceless equaliser for the Foxes.
It still left Leicester without a win in six Premier League games but they will at least head into Saturday’s key trip to Swansea on the back of a point, while West Brom are without a league win since August 19 despite an impressive return for Chadli, whose decision to skip a pre-season training camp in Austria had left him on the outside looking in.
Leicester made the early pace and forced two dangerous free-kicks in the left-hand corner, the second of which saw West Brom’s Ahmed Hegazi booked for a stray arm directed towards Jamie Vardy.
Both set pieces were angled by Riyad Mahrez towards the far post but neither was aimed well enough to be turned in by a Leicester team-mate.
West Brom then caused some alarms for their hosts when Kieran Gibbs galloped forwards from left-back.
His cross found Jay Rodriguez at the far post but his touch was heavy and the chance came to nothing.
Gibbs was the instigator again when he drifted in from the left and collected a clever chip by Salomon Rondon in the 18th minute.
He kept his composure to pick out Nacer Chadli but the Belgian, making his first Premier League start of the season, scuffed his shot from 20 yards and saw it bounce wide.
It was risk-averse football from both sides in a cagey opening half-hour and, when West Brom attempted to play out from defence for almost the first time, they almost got themselves in trouble.
A poor pass by Gareth Barry allowed Leicester to break and, when Jonny Evans fouled Jamie Vardy, they won a dangerous free-kick.
Mahez played it to Christian Fuchs, whose hopeful cross brought the first involvement from either goalkeeper as Boaz Myhill, deputising for West Brom’s injured Ben Foster, made a routine catch.
His next involvement was more impressive as he reacted well to palm away a long-distance volley from Danny Simpson, with Vicente Iborra scooping the rebound over the bar.
West Brom threatened again shortly before half-time as Grzegorz Krychowiak hammered a 20-yard shot high and wide.
The second half began dramatically when Vardy latched onto a poor backpass from Hegazi and was blocked crudely by Myhill on the edge of the penalty area.
Referee Mike Dean awarded a free-kick just outside the box and showed Myhill a yellow card when some Leicester fans and players were asking for a sending off.
Mahrez then wasted a glorious chance to open the scoring when some neat play was too slick for the Albion defence and Marc Albrighton crossed dangerously from the left.
His centre found the unmarked Mahrez, who should have produced the opening goal but instead lifted a shot over the crossbar.
Myhill was still struggling from the impact of his collision with Vardy but carried on after two bouts of treatment with untried youngster Alex Palmer the only option on the substitutes’ bench.
The deadlock was broken on 63 minutes when Kelechi Iheanacho was booked for a foul on Krychowiak and Chadli curled the resulting free-kick superbly over the Leicester wall and past the flat-footed Kasper Schmeichel.
But just 17 minutes later Leicester were level as Mahrez seized on a knock-down from Islam Slimani and despatched a crisp shot past Myhill.
Leicester (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson (Chilwell 74), Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs; Mahrez, Iborra (King 90), Ndidi, Albrighton; Iheanacho (Slimani 74), Vardy.
Subs not used: Gray, Hamer, Amartey, Okazaki.
Booked: Iheanacho, Albrighton.
West Brom (4-1-4-1): Myhill; Dawson, Hegazi, Evans, Gibbs; Livermore; Rodriguez (McClean 84), Krychowiak, Barry, Chadli (McAuley 84); Rondon.
Subs not used: Nyom, Yacob, Phillips, Brunt, Palmer.
Booked: Hegazi, Myhill.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirrall)
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