League One Fleetwood gave Leicester a real scare but the Premier League side escaped Highbury Stadium with a goalless draw in their FA Cup third round tie.
Ash Hunter's deflected shot hit the post in the second minute of added time, rebounding on to goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic before hitting the post again. Jakupovic grabbed the loose ball and the visitors narrowly avoided the shock exit the television cameras present were hoping for.
The hosts, 12th in their table, comfortably held their own against a second-string Foxes starting line-up and, in truth, created the better chances.
On the positive side the sort of quirky sponsorship deal which typically crops up around the FA Cup third round meant the Cod Army's goalkeeper Chris Neal finished the game with a year's supply of pizza having been promised a month's worth for every seven-and-a-half minutes he kept the Foxes at bay.
He barely had a save to make as the visitors' multi-million pound forward line misfired.
Leicester made eight changes with no place in the squad for Jamie Vardy - who missed the New Year's Day win over Huddersfield with a groin injury - on his return to Fleetwood or the likes of Riyad Mahrez.
However, they were still able to field £29million striker Islam Slimani and £27million Portugal midfielder Adrien Silva, given his first start having made his debut as a substitute on Monday following his long wait after a summer wrangle over his registration.
But despite enjoying the majority of possession the Premier League visitors could not create a genuine goal-scoring opportunity in the first half with Demarai Gray's blast into the side-netting coming closest.
In fact the Foxes were closer to scoring in their own goal with Aleksandar Dragovic's early blind back pass sending Jakupovic scrambling to keep the ball from rolling inside the near post.
Just before the hour Shinji Okazaki and Marc Albrighton were sent on in an attempt to change the game but Cian Bolger's header just over from a corner and Markus Schwabl's low drive were evidence Fleetwood's threat had not diminished.
Slimani volleyed Grey's cross into the side-netting, his last real action of the game as he was replaced by £25million former Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho with 10 minutes remaining.
But it continued to be Fleetwood creating the better chances with Bolger again planting a header over before Hunter almost snatched it at the end.
See how the action unfolded with James Sharpe and our colleagues at the Leicester Mercury.
Fleetwood: Neal, Coyle, Eastham, Bolger, Bell, Schwabl, Glendon, Dempsey, Burns, Cole, Hunter
Leicester: Jakupovic, Amartey, Dragovic, Benalouane, Chilwell, James, King, Silva, Gray, Slimani, Barnes
Here's what's been online from the game
Right, that’s it from the blog this afternoon. We are going to do it all over again in 10 days anyway.
If you’ve missed the action and are just joining us, not to worry. There’s plenty for you here.
- Match report as Leicester escape giant-killing...just.
- How did Silva do on full debut? Player ratings.
- Reaction for Puel who defends making changes.
There will be more reaction and analysis on the website over the weekend.
We will see you soon.
Have a good weekend.
I had to make changes, says Puel
Leicester City manager has said that he was forced to make changes due to injuries and illness.
He said that Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan and Jamie Vardy were all inured, Chjristian Fuchs was ill and Robert Huth still not fit.
Maguire and Silva react to FA Cup draw
Here’s some social media thoughts from some of the Leicester players.
Here's the date for the replay
Get the date in the diary.
The Replay will take place at King Power Stadium on Tuesday 16 January at 7:45pm. #LeiFle
— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 6, 2018
Chris Neal 'shocked' at Leicester performance
The pizza-laden goalkeeper has just been into the press conference to give his reaction to the game as well as the news that he has earned free Papa John’s for a year.
A clean sheet, having not been forced into a single save in the entire 90 minutes.
“When you’re playing against a team like Leicester, and how well they are doing, and have done over recent years, it was a shock how comfortable we were. But we haven’t knocked them out. It will be tough to go the the King Power.
Vardy will be fit when we go and play them and they will put out a stronger team. We showed how good we are today and hopefully we can do that in the replay.”
What was the verdict on Silva's debut
It is fair to say that our reporting team were not over impressed with the display against Fleetwood this lunch-time.
But the scores are in - here are our player ratings from the game.
City are lucky to still be in FA Cup
Leicester City had no shots on target in a poor display and are lucky to still be in the FA Cup.
That’s the verdict of my colleague Rob Tanner after a real lack-lustre performance against the League One side.
"All the ingredients of an upset."
Here’s some early thoughts from the Leicester boss, whose side had to hold on for a draw against League One side Fleetwood.
Who was your man of the match?
After all that, here’s your chance to have your say on the peformance.
Did anyone stand out at all? Or do they all deserve a low rating?
Have your say using our ratings widget below.
All over. Headed for a replay.
That’s it.
Neither side can grab a late winner, despite Jakupovic’s late save.
The cheers from the Fleetwood fans are matched by the boos from the Leicester supporters.
We have ourselves a replay.
The only winner this afternoon is Fleetwood goalkeeper Chris Neal, whose clean sheet has won him a year’s supply of free pizza.
Every cloud...
Fleetwood go close!
Oh my god.
Hunter’s long-range shot deflects off Benalouane, off the post, hits the back of a diving Jakupovic and nearly creeps into his own net.
Jakupovic claims it and celebrates like he’s saved a penalty.
Stoppage time
There will be TWO minutes of stoppage time.
Leicester do not look like scoring. Fleetwood, on the other hand, do.
City holding on.
Chance for Fleetwood
It’s the hosts who look the more likely to score.
A glorious free-kick is curled into the box, right behind the Leicester defence, but no one in a red shirt attacks it.
Rosler, the Fleetwood manager, charges down the touchline, shouting in frustration.
Bolger goes close
There was the story. There was the chance.
Bolger, released by City without a senior appearance, almost grabbed what would most likely have been the winner against his former club.
Strong header from a corner, but wide, and he beats the air with frustration as the headlines flash before his eyes.
Iheanacho comes on
The former Man City striker comes on for the last 10 minutes in place of Slimani.
Sarcastic jeers and applause from the Leicester fans greets the decision.
For as good as Slimani was against Huddersfield, he has offered little more than offsides and fouls today.
King fires wide
Great chance for Leicester to take the lead as James feeds the ball back to King on the edge of the area.
The Wales international has time to take aim, and fire under little pressure.
And he shanks it wide. Well wide.
Slimani at the back post
Best chance of the half for Leicester, which is saying something.
Cross from the left catches the keeper off-guard and Slimani attacks it at the far post.
He makes contact, but cannot steer it into the goal, although some fans think he has and celebrate too early.
Leicester waste free-kick
The Premier League side win a free-kick midway into the Fleetwood half.
Albrighton floats it into the box, but too deep and it goes straight out for a goalkick.
What a waste.
Chance for Fleetwood
The hosts are well, well on top here.
Corner after corner after corner.
Bolger goes close, heading wide from the first before Jakupovic is on hand to save a long-range shot.
Leicester, for want of a better phrase, hanging on.
Double change for Leicester
Puel makes his first move.
Off come Silva and Barnes, and on come Okazaki (pronounced ‘Ozaki’ by the announcer) and Albrighton.
Meanwhile, another flare goes off in the home end among the self-titled ‘Ultras de Cod’.
Fleetwood go close
What a brilliant few minutes.
Albrighton takes a selfie with a fan while warming up, then Okazaki is so busy watching the game from the touchline that he doesn’t hear Puel and Stowell shouting at him from the dugout.
Then Fleetwood nearly score and fans in front celebrate too early.
Wonderful scenes.
Slimani loses his cool
The Leicester striker is penalised for backing into his defender and he is not happy.
He rages at the referee, spit foaming from his mouth.
It takes Silva to talk the official round to make sure his team-mate avoids a card.
Back under way at Fleetwood
No changes for either side at the break.
At least the sun has gone behind a cloud for a moment, meaning we can actually see the end Leicester are attacking.
Oh no, it’s popped out again.
Anyway, let’s see if Leicester can find a way into the fourth round.
All square at the break
No Vardy, no party.
A rather dull half of football on a dodgy pitch with a Leicester side that has made eight changes.
No chances to mention.
If you’re watching this on BBC One then you should know that West Side Story is on Channel 5.
Watch that, we’ll let you know if anything happens here.
Stoppage time
There will be TWO minutes of stoppage time.
And Leicester have a corner, thanks to Barnes’s deflected long-range shot.
In it comes, and Slimani tries a shot but he cannot get it through the crowd of bodies.
Roll on half time
Well, this has been rubbish so far.
No Vardy, no chances, and no entertainment.
Bet the BBC are well happy they chose this game for TV.
Barnes volleys over
The Leicester fans break away from going through their full repertoire of chants to pass the time when the ball loops in the air and drops to Barnes in the box.
Barnes waits, takes aim, and then thunders a volley towards goal.
Over the bar.
The fans can carry on with singing Iwan is a Welshman now.
Gray goes for goal
Better build-up play as Silva, Barnes, King and Slimani link up well down the right.
Barnes crosses for Slimani, but it’s headed half-clear.
Gray traps the ball, still inside the box, pushes towards the byline and forces a deflected shot out for a corner.
Cleared.
Scrappy game
This is a classic big club-small club cup tie.
Scrappy game, bobbly pitch, no fluency.
Leicester really struggling to string passes together as Barnes gives the ball away but Chilwell does well to cover.
Gray charges forward
Bit of much-needed spark from the City winger, who drives out of his own half, past three defenders, and wins a corner.
King heads over from the set-piece.
Good chance, that.
Leicester fans still in good voice. “Seated, give us a song,” chant the standing supporters.