Leicester City vs Hull City match report: Tom Huddlestone sent-off but Leicester fail to take advantage

Leicester City 0 Hull City 0

Nikica Jelevic of Hull City shoots past Jeffrey Schlupp (GETTY IMAGES)

There was a nod to Leicester City’s cherished Premier League past with the presence in the stands of of Martin O’Neill. However, the portents for their future in the division look far less promising following this setback.

Against 10 men in the closing stages following Tom Huddlestone’s dismissal, this was another missed opportunity for the bottom side, who remain seven points adrift of safety.

Having signed a new three-year deal earlier in the week, this was not quite the ending manager Steve Bruce hoped for but, by his own admission, “it is another point closer to safety.”

His team were guilty of spurning the game’s best opportunities. The first came when Huddlestone picked out Ahmed Elmohamady and his first-time pass left the unmarked Jelavic with just Mark Schwarzer to beat only for him to fluff his lines.

Mark Schwarzer punches the ball clear (GETTY IMAGES)

The second half was more memorable - but for its feistiness, not its football. Frustration began to fester as Michael Dawson and Alex Bruce took umbrage after being booked. With 18 minutes remaining Jamie Vardy was clumsily poleaxed by Huddlestone, who was already on a yellow card.

Leicester, in keeping with their campaign, simply lacked the wherewithal to unlock their opponents – David Nugent spurning their best opening.

They should have been left with nothing, though, when a quickly taken Dame N’Doye free-kick sent Abel Hernandez clean through, but he sent his shot just too close to Schwarzer.

Tom Huddlestone was shown a red card (GETTY IMAGES)

How Leicester could do with rekindling some of that magic from those heady days in the late 1990s when they were under O’Neill, who was on a Republic of Ireland scouting mission.

Leicester City: (3-5-2) Schwarzer; Morgan (Nugent 84), Upson, Huth; De Laet (Lawrence 76), Mahrez, Cambiasso, James, Schlupp; Kramaric (Ulloa 61), Vardy.

Hull City: (3-5-2) McGregor; Dawson, Bruce, McShane; Elomhamady, Livermore, Huddlestone, Ramirez (Hernandez 85), Robertson (Meyler 79); Jelavic (Quinn 78), N’Doye.

Referee: Jonathan Moss.

Man of the match: Dawson (Hull)

Match rating: 2/10