Leicester Tigers vs Saracens match report: Owen Farrell seals victory at Welford Road but Sarries slip to second

Leicester Tigers 12 Saracens 16: Farrell scored and converted the only try of the game

Farrell scored all 16 of Saracens' points (Getty)

Fly-half Owen Farrell scored all 16 points as Saracens beat Leicester 16-12 at Welford Road to cement second position in the Aviva Premiership.

The England star kicked 11 points and scored the only try of the game as the visitors hit back from 9-6 down to take a 13-9 lead in the 55th minute. Fly-half Owen Williams kicked Leicester's points.

Leicester recalled England trio Ben Youngs, Tom Youngs and Dan Cole, while Freddie Burns made his 50th start in the unusual position of full-back.

Saracens were without injured England lock George Kruis but recalled winger Chris Ashton after his try-scoring return from the bench after suspension against Newcastle.

Neither side looked like scoring a try in a tight first half which ended at 6-6 and was dominated by the boot and strong defence.

Leicester fly-half Williams and his opposite number Farrell both kicked two penalties each and Williams had a chance to send the Tigers in with a three-point half-time lead but hooked a short-range penalty.

The half was barely eight minutes old when the Tigers' long injury list got even worse when they lost England centre Manu Tuilagi with a leg injury in front of England boss Eddie Jones.

Tuilagi, playing only his sixth game after a lengthy lay-off and recalled to the England training squad, tried to create something on his own by going on an arcing run into the 22 but hurt a leg when crashing to the ground under a double tackle.

After lengthy treatment by the physio he hobbled off and was replaced by Tom Brady.

Williams gave Leicester a 10th-minute lead which Farrell cancelled out 15 minutes later after the Tigers conceded a penalty near their own line as Saracens drove for a try after a line-out.

Farrell and Williams traded penalties in the 32nd and 35th minutes and Leicester should have turned round 9-6 ahead after brilliantly turning defence into attack.

Farrell impressed but Sarries couldn't return to the top of the table (Getty)

They pushed Saracens off the ball at a scrum on their own line and, after Lachlan McCaffrey had hoofed the ball upfield, Ben Youngs collared Alex Goode who conceded a five-metre scrum which Saracens collapsed. Williams however missed the penalty.

Williams did make it 9-6 eight minutes after the break with a 46-metre penalty, for another collapsed scrum, which bounced over off the crossbar.

Saracens lost Ashton in the 49th minute after a clash of heads with Brady and moments later Farrell missed with an easy short-range penalty and Williams missed from the right touchline.

Owen Williams scored all of Leicester's points from the tee (Getty)

But in the 55th minute Farrell put Saracens 13-9 ahead with a try and conversion after a poor pass by Ben Youngs put Williams in trouble.

Saracens centre Marcelo Bosch missed a 51-metre penalty on the hour and then Farrell missed from 40 metres.

Brady should have scored after Leicester turned the ball over but did not have the pace. Farrell and Williams swapped penalties and Saracens held on to win a hard fought game.

PA.