Leicester 1-1 West Brom: Riyad Mahrez comes to the rescue with his first goal of the season after hosts fall behind to stunning Nacer Chadli free-kick

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At the moment Leicester needed, Riyad Mahrez became the player of old. Found by Islam Slimani's knock-down, the Algerian knew his mind and had the skill to execute.

Mahrez chested the ball and drove a finish into the bottom corner, bringing his team level with 10 minutes remaining.

Having been dropped for Leicester's last game, Mahrez celebrated his first goal since May by running to the dugout as if a point had been proved.  

Riyad Mahrez came to the rescue for Leicester with a late strike to snatch a draw from the brink of defeat against West Brom

Nacer Chadli stepped up and wrapped his foot around a superb effort from 25 yards which careered towards Leicester goal

The Belgian is joined by his team-mates after his superb dead-ball strike gained the initiative for his side

However, Mahrez had other ideas when the Algerian found a slither of space on the box before lashing his right foot at it

The ball found its way into the corner of Boaz Myhill's goal to earn a vital point for Craig Shakespeare's side at the King Power

Mahrez celebrates with Islam Slimani, who knocked it down to the Algerian, after he scores his first goal of the season

MATCH FACTS, RATINGS AND LIVE LEAGUE TABLE 

LEICESTER (4-4-2): Schmeichel 5; Simpson 6.5 (Chilwell 74'), Morgan 6, Maguire 7, Fuchs 6; Mahrez 7, Ndidi 6.5, Iborra 7 (King 90'), Albrighton 7; Iheanacho 6.5 (Slimani 74'), Vardy 7.5

BOOKED: Iheanacho, Albrighton

SUBS NOT USED: Gray, Hamer, Amartey, Okazaki

MANAGER: Craig Shakespeare 7

WEST BROM (4-1-4-1): Myhill 6.5; Dawson 7, Hegazi 5, Evans 8, Gibbs 7; Livermore 6.5; Rodriguez 6 (McClean 84'), Krychowiak 6, Barry 7.5, Chadli 7.5 (McAuley 84'); Rondon 6

BOOKED: Hegazi, Myhill

SUBS NOT USED: Nyom, Yacob, Phillips, Brunt, Palmer

MANAGER: Tony Pulis 7

REFEREE: Mike Dean 7

MAN OF THE MATCH: Evans 

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Chadli's stunning free-kick opened scoring

But Mahrez pulled it back with a late leveller CLICK HERE for more from Sportsmail's brilliant MATCH ZONE

 

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Certainly, Mahrez's contribution was vital for Craig Shakespeare, who was staring down the barrel of serious scrutiny had Leicester lost this game.

But Shakespeare's late substitutions and switch to three-at-the-back made a telling impact. It was Ben Chilwell's cross and Slimani's assist that led to the equaliser.

Before that it looked like Nacer Chadli had emerged from deep freeze at West Bromwich Albion to send a chill down Shakespeare's spine.

The Belgian had not played a minute in the Premier League following a summer row with Tony Pulis and injury problems, but he provided a fine opener at the King Power Stadium. 

For a period it seemed his fearsome free-kick would prove the decisive moment of the contest, leaving Kasper Schmeichel flat-footed and Leicester on the back foot in a relegation scrap.

They do remain in the bottom three and still with only one victory — coming against Brighton in the second week — but at least this was not a damaging defeat.

Leicester boss Shakespeare welcomes his opposite number Tony Pulis to the King Power Stadium ahead of the clash

Defender Wes Morgan vies for possession with Baggies striker Solomon Rondon, who nods the ball on in an aerial battle

Chadli attempts to mount an attack for the visitors as he skips beyond Foxes winger Mahrez on the flank

Wilfred Ndidi looks to find his forwards in the box as the Foxes bid to break the deadlock with both teams starting cautiously

Foxes hitman Jamie Vardy is fouled by the visiting captain Jonny Evans as he flicks the ball beyond the Baggies centre back

The England international tries to get himself involved in the game at the business end, challenging Ahmed Hegazi in the air

Pulis attempts to gee up his side as the visitors' organised set-up frustrates the Foxes during the first 45 at the King Power

The flip side is that this was not the victory required to kick-start an inconsistent season either. Boaz Myhill effectively played the last 30 minutes on one leg after a collision with Jamie Vardy and Leicester missed opportunities to test the West Brom goalkeeper more.

Myhill, who was fortunate to avoid a red card after bringing down Vardy, was playing his first Premier League match since April 2016 after Ben Foster suffered a knee injury and refused to be taken off.

'I'm in three quarters of a piece,' said Myhill. 'I was put in a situation to take one for the team and did what I had to do. Thankfully I didn't get sent off. I think it's a dead leg. I haven't played for a year so no way was I going off. They would have had to take me off themselves.'

Pulis admitted the injury 'hampered' Myhill's ability but had no issues with him staying on, and he did punch clear a fierce strike from Harry Maguire late on. Pulis delivered a more downbeat diagnosis on Foster, who injured himself playing football in the back garden with his child. 

The chance of the half fell to Foxes right back Danny Simpson, who was free on the corner for the box when the ball dropped

His venomous strike on the half-volley whizzed towards Myhill's goal before the goalkeeper parries it away strongly

Baggies keeper Myhill gestures to his defenders after a rare Leicester opportunity sneaks through in the first half

England boss Gareth Southgate, who handed Leicester's Harry Maguire his international bow last week, watches from stands

And Maguire, who battles with fellow England international Jay Rodriguez, did his best to impress the national manager again

Shakespeare gestures to his side as Leicester try to find the answers to unlock the visitors' defence in the first half

Myhill's only other contribution came in the first-half when a Christian Fuchs long throw fell to Danny Simpson, who let fly with a powerful shot that needed strong wrists to keep out. Vicente Iborra put an awkward rebound over.

The visitors preferred to play on the break and constructed a fine move in the 16th minute when Gareth Barry found Salomon Rondon, who fed Kieran Gibbs. The left back picked out Chadli but he got his volley badly wrong.

Myhill was fortunate to remain on the pitch less than 60 seconds after the restart. Vardy beat the West Brom goalkeeper to Ahmed Hegazi's woeful backpass and was promptly clattered to the floor. Mike Dean showed leniency in issuing a yellow card.

From the free-kick on the very edge of the area Craig Dawson cleared Maguire's goal-bound header and five minutes later Leicester should have been ahead. 

The second half began with more action, particularly when Mahrez skied a golden opportunity over the box from six yards

The Foxes pushed to make a breakthrough and Vardy, in haste, collided heavily with Myhill which caused a stoppage in play

The game is stopped while the West Brom medics tend to Myhill after the heavy clash with Vardy in the second half

Then, down the other end, after 63 minutes, Chadli's crucial free-kick found its way into the back of Schmeichel's net 

The Belgium international runs towards the crowd after the opener before he is congratulated by left back Kieran Gibbs

Vardy's backheel sent Marc Albrighton free and his pull-back was crying out to be converted by Mahrez, but the Algerian scooped his finish from eight yards over the bar.

Instead it was West Brom who took the lead, and in spectacular fashion. Kelechi Iheanacho conceded a free-kick close to 30 yards out after mis-controlling and Chadli sized up the shot. Gibbs provided a screen that suckered Schmeichel, who took a fatal step to his right as Chadli's arrow bent to his left.

As anxiety levels rose, Shakespeare made an attacking change to Leicester's formation and was rewarded by Mahrez. But the murmurs of discontent that greeted the final whistle told of a result that fails to satisfy either side. West Brom are themselves without a win in six Premier League games.

Shakespeare said: 'Riyad didn't go away with Algeria, he stayed at the training ground, and worked really hard. He will be disappointed to miss his first chance but he has character to keep going, and got his just rewards.' 

Leicester look to hit back strongly and Marc Albrighton, who found himself through on goal, slid the ball agonisingly wide

Kelechi Iheanacho's attack is foiled by Evans as the hosts push for an equaliser by piling the pressure on the Baggies goal

The former Premier League player of the year regained his form of old to net his first goal of the season against West Brom

 Myhill, who played on despite suffering an injury in the clash with Vardy, was left helpless in the West Brom goal

The Algeria international sprints to the King Power faithful after earning his side a vital draw from the jaws of defeat

Evans and Grzegorz Krychowiak lead the applause after acknowledging the travelling West Brom fans in the Midlands