Match ends, Bournemouth 0, Leicester City 0.
Bournemouth failed to convert a host of chances as both their and Leicester's disappointing starts to the Premier League season continued with a goalless draw at Dean Court.
The home side dominated the game and will feel they should have had an early penalty when Leicester defender Danny Simpson appeared to handle inside the box.
After home striker Jermain Defoe scooped the lively Joshua King's low cross against the bar, Marc Pugh's follow-up shot ricocheted off the raised right hand of Simpson.
The Bournemouth players protested strongly to referee Graham Scott but he waved play on.
Having seen a video replay of the handball after the match, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said: "It's clear cut. If the referee didn't see it he can't give it, but it is a stone-waller [definite penalty]".
The best chance of the second half fell to Leicester's Shinji Okazaki, who side-footed wide from around 10 yards out.
The draw leaves Bournemouth second from bottom and Leicester only one place outside the relegation zone, with both sides having won just once in their opening seven league matches.
Cook shines for dominant Bournemouth
Despite the result, there are many positives Howe can take from his side's performance.
Howe made two changes to the team which lost to Everton last Saturday, with Pugh and Lewis Cook both returning to the starting line-up, and midfielder Cook was particularly impressive as Bournemouth began the game with great intensity.
The 20-year-old, making only his second league start of the season, showed quick feet and awareness, and produced 69 passes with an accuracy of 85.5%.
Bournemouth had several opportunities to take the lead after the early penalty appeal.
Norway striker King scuffed a shot wide from the edge of the box while the best chance of the first half fell to Pugh, who blasted over the bar from eight yards after Leicester failed to clear.
Leicester offer little attacking threat
Bournemouth kept their first clean sheet in 10 Premier League home games, but the Cherries had very little to worry about defensively, particularly in the first half.
Foxes forward Jamie Vardy, who went into the game having scored 13 goals in 19 Premier League games under boss Craig Shakespeare, was rarely involved in play as Bournemouth nullified any Leicester attacks.
Shakespeare, who gave winger Demarai Gray his first start of the season in place of Riyad Mahrez, conceded that his side "didn't have that sharpness or quality on the ball and offensively weren't the threat" he expected them to be.
Despite Bournemouth's dominance, Leicester had a chance to take the lead through Okazaki in the second half, after a brief lapse in concentration by the Bournemouth defence handed the Japan international a clear shot on goal from close range.
"Whether we deserved to have the chance or not is irrelevant, I expected him to put that away," said Shakespeare.
Man of the match - Lewis Cook (Bournemouth)
Enough chances to win three or four games - what they said
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe: "It was a very good performance, we created enough to win three or four games. We started really fast and had a number of chances - in the future I think we'll score plenty.
"I'm really enthused by the performance. I'm pleased to get our first clean sheet and that's a huge moment in the season as well."
Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare: "It was a hard earned point. We know we could do a lot better. We started slowly and gave them momentum and it was hard to get with the pace of the game.
"The penalty, I didn't see it but I was told it could have been a penalty. We had one last week which didn't go our way and I think these things can even themselves up."
Bournemouth and Leicester's woes - the stats
- Bournemouth have earned just four points from their seven Premier League games this term, fewer than in both 2015-16 (seven) and 2016-17 (eight) at this stage of the season.
- Bournemouth are unbeaten in all five Premier League meetings with Leicester City, although four have ended level (W1 D4 L0).
- Jermain Defoe (29) had fewer touches of the ball than any other Bournemouth outfield player to start the match, and he did not have a shot on target (although did hit the bar).
- Leicester City have earned just five points from seven games so far this season, their joint-lowest return at this stage of a Premier League campaign alongside 1994-95, 2001-02 and 2003-04.
- Leicester have won just once in their past 10 Premier League matches under Craig Shakespeare (W1 D3 L6), this after winning seven of the first 10 under his stewardship.
What's next?
Bournemouth travel to Wembley after the international break to take on Tottenham on Saturday, 14 October (15:00 BST), before an away game at Stoke City on 21 October (15:00 BST), and then a home fixture against champions Chelsea on 28 October (17:30 BST).
Leicester City host West Brom on Monday, 16 October (20:00 BST), travel to Swansea on 21 October (15:00 BST), then welcome Everton on 29 October (16:00 GMT)
Line-ups
Bournemouth
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 27Begovic
- 15A Smith
- 2Francis
- 5Aké
- 11Daniels
- 19StanislasSubstituted forFraserat 88'minutes
- 16L Cook
- 6Surman
- 7PughBooked at 20minsSubstituted forIbeat 69'minutes
- 17King
- 18DefoeSubstituted forAfobeat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Boruc
- 3S Cook
- 4Gosling
- 9Afobe
- 24Fraser
- 31Mousset
- 33Ibe
Leicester
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1Schmeichel
- 2Simpson
- 5Morgan
- 15Maguire
- 28Fuchs
- 11AlbrightonSubstituted forMahrezat 75'minutes
- 10KingSubstituted forIborraat 45'minutes
- 25Ndidi
- 7Gray
- 20OkazakiSubstituted forIheanachoat 69'minutes
- 9Vardy
Substitutes
- 3Chilwell
- 8Iheanacho
- 12Hamer
- 18Amartey
- 19Slimani
- 21Iborra
- 26Mahrez
- Referee:
- Graham Scott
- Attendance:
- 10,444
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home61%
- Away39%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away1
- Corners
- Home7
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home6
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bournemouth 0, Leicester City 0.
Post update
Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City).
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Nathan Aké.
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Attempt blocked. Lewis Cook (Bournemouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Danny Simpson.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Joshua King.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) because of an injury.
Post update
Foul by Andrew Surman (Bournemouth).
Post update
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Bournemouth. Ryan Fraser replaces Junior Stanislas.
Post update
Attempt saved. Andrew Surman (Bournemouth) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adam Smith.
Post update
Offside, Bournemouth. Junior Stanislas tries a through ball, but Benik Afobe is caught offside.
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Attempt blocked. Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Adam Smith.
Substitution
Substitution, Bournemouth. Benik Afobe replaces Jermain Defoe.
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Nathan Aké.
Comments
Join the conversation
Need a manager with some quality to sort this team out other wise religation will be on the cards this season
You're obviously well named, and a troll to boot, but oh so boring. It would be interesting to know which team you actually support, is there a Muppetts United?
Eddie Howe has done a brilliant job with Bournemouth, and will continue to do so for many years. At least they try to play football and deserve their place in the Premier league. All they need is a change of luck and results will come
Another point for Bournemouth hope they stay up as at least Eddie Howe try's to get them to play decent football.
Both clubs sole purpose is to ensure Premiership survival.
So many people were on here last season telling us that Craig Shakespeare was a genius and he masterminded the title win, not ranieri.
Really?
My money is on Shakespeare being the next manager sacked... NEXT!
You deserve everything you get which will hopefully be relegation
One of these top managers could still be the first English manager to win the EPL. The season is still only weeks old.
Hilarious fella, as Irishman Rodgers goes on a 3999823958932141028975784319 match unbeaten run in your league. Whether it's foreigners or not, at least our leagues worth watching.