Walker turns the page for Leicester

Leicester City 1 Crystal Palace

Saturday's match programme at the Walkers Stadium provided a neat summary of our times. On page four Micky Adams, the Leicester manager, lamented the fact that he had been unable to strengthen his squad in the transfer market; on page 11 there was a report from the club's administrator on a meeting of creditors; and the back page featured a Leicester squad list stacked with former Premiership players – still paid, presumably, Premiership money.

The collapse in the transfer market has, in its own way, helped Adams, if not the club's administrator and creditors. In other years the likes of Muzzy Izzet, Matt Elliott and Frank Sinclair would surely have moved on within weeks of their relegation from the Premiership last summer. While recent injuries have tested the depth of Leicester's squad, the fact is that most First Division clubs would love to have the Foxes' line-up at their disposal.

Adams, for example, is the only manager in the country to have a squad featuring two England goalkeepers. Tim Flowers generally warms the bench these days (a duty he sometimes shares with Simon Royce, another fine goalkeeper on Leicester's books), thanks to the fine form of Ian Walker, who gave another faultless display on Saturday.

The former Tottenham goalkeeper's performance – a model example of shot-stopping, anticipation and domination of the penalty area – was one of two main reasons why Leicester took another step back towards the Premiership, strengthening their hold on second place in the table.

The other was a spectacular show of profligacy by Crystal Palace, whose own challenge for a play-off place is in danger of faltering after a fine run in December.

Before Paul Dickov's 77th minute winner – a sweetly struck curler into the top corner – Palace had fluffed no fewer than four one-on-one chances with the Leicester goalkeeper. Andrew Johnson twice fired over the bar, while Walker stood firm to deny Hayden Mullins and Tommy Black with excellent saves.

Three of those chances had come in a first-half dominated by Palace and in which Leicester rarely threatened. Adams reshuffled his team after the interval, with Callum Davidson keeping a close watch on the dangerous Black, and the second half was a more closely-contested affair.

Adams was pleased with Leicester's response. "I have to admit that Palace did better than us tactically in the first half," he said, and his team are now nine points clear of third-placed Sheffield United.

Trevor Francis, the Palace manager, was also encouraged. "When you come to a club who are second in the table you know it's going to be tough," he said. "I was pleased with the way we played, particularly in the first half when we created good opportunities and might have been two goals up."

Goal: Dickov (77) 1-0.

Leicester City (4-4-2): Walker; Sinclair, Elliott, Heath (Jones, 58), Rogers; Scowcroft, Izzet, Davidson, Stewart; Dickov (Taggart, 89), Benjamin (Wright, 58). Substitutes not used: Flowers (gk), Summerbee.

Crystal Palace (5-2-1-2): Berthelin; Butterfield (Akinbiyi, 78), Powell, Symons, Popovic,

Granville (Gray 67); Mullins, Derry; Black; Johnson (Fleming, 66), Adebola. Substitutes not used: Cronin (gk), Freedman.

Referee: S Mathieson (Stockport).

Bookings: Leicester: Scowcroft, Izzet. Crystal Palace: Granville.

Man of the match: Walker.

Attendance: 27,005.