Crystal Palace vs Leicester City match report: Fraizer Campbell and Mile Jedinak burst Foxes bubble

Crystal Palace 2 Leicester City 0

Fraizer Campbell (Getty Images)

Crystal Palace, who have been conceding goals from set pieces with a generosity that would have horrified last season’s manager Tony Pulis, defended altogether more solidly and scored from a corner and free-kick themselves to record a first home win of the campaign.

In doing so they made up eight places in the table on Leicester and looked more like the team of Pulis’ ten months in charge. On this form they should safely negotiate another Premier League season.

Leicester had started brightly, benefiting from the steadying influence of Esteban Cambiasso, six times a title winner in either Italy or Spain. The front three, who had terrorised Manchester United last weekend, constantly interchanged.

In the space of three minutes soon after half-time, however, the good work was undone. First Kasper Schmeichel played safe in touching Yannick Bolasie’s floated cross-shot for a corner, which was taken by Jason Puncheon, headed down by Scott Dann and touched in by an alert Fraizer Campbell. Then Bolasie was fouled out on the left and Mile Jedinak powerfully headed home Puncheon’s free-kick.

Jamie Vardy had City’s best chance but Joel Ward and goalkeeper Julian Speroni blocked his close-range shot between them.

That was Speroni’s only real save and after conceding the goals, City threatened only with a shot by David Nugent that was deflected wide.

LINE-UPS:

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Speroni; Kelly, Dann, Delaney, Ward; McArthur, Jedinak; Puncheon, Ledley, Bolasie (Guadioura, 89); Campbell (Chamakh, 73).

Leicester(4-3-3): Schmeichel; De Laet (Simpson, 64), Morgan, Moore, Konchesky; Hammond (James, 71), Cambiasso (Mahrez, 64), Drinkwater: Vardy, Ulloa, Nugent.

Referee: Keith Stroud.

Man of the match: Puncheon (Palace)

Match rating: 6/10