Leicester City 1-0 Sunderland AFC
An impressive display went unrewarded on Tuesday evening, as Sunderland were narrowly defeated by Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
The Foxes opened the scoring with 12 minutes on the clock, when James Justin rose at the near post and headed home.
Jack Clarke and Jobe went closest in the opening 45 minutes, which ended in controversy when a clumsy challenge on Dan Neil inside the area went unpunished.
Cesare Casadei and Kelechi Iheanacho went close after the restart, but the Black Cats continued to stand up and test Enzo Maresca’s table-toppers.
Abdoullah Ba fired over from close range late on and that proved to be the final opening, as the Foxes continued their record-breaking start to the campaign.
Tony Mowbray made two changes in the wake of defeat at Stoke City, as Neil returned from suspension and Mason Burstow was also restored to the starting eleven.
And the first opportunity of the encounter fell to the Sky Bet Championship’s leading marksman, but Clarke was denied Foxes stopper Mads Hermansen.
Justin made no mistake with 12 minutes on the clock and punished the Black Cats, rising at the near post to head a corner kick beyond Anthony Patterson.
The Lads continued to impress despite falling behind, with a buoyant 3,500-plus away end in fine voice throughout at the King Power Stadium.
Chances continued to fall without reward though, as Clarke was again thwarted by Hermansen before Jobe headed the follow up off target.
Stephy Mavididi struck one post early in the contest and Iheanacho struck the other before the break – crucially, Patterson managed to get a vital touch on both occasions.
Leicester remained in control at the break, but not without controversy, as Wout Faes’ reckless challenge on Neil inside the box went unpunished despite the defender failing to contact the ball.
Patterson was called into action again following the restart, this time denying Casadei on two occasions in quick succession.
With chances continuing to fall at both ends, Mowbray made three changes with 25 minutes remaining on the clock, as Dennis Cirkin, Chris Rigg and Abdoullah Ba entered the fray.
Leicester held their nerve though and saw out the contest, claiming three points to extend their lead at the summit of the Sky Bet Championship.
Leicester City: Hermansen, Juston, Faes, Casadei, Winks, Mavididi, Iheanacho (Vardy 68), Fatawu (Albrighton 80), Ricardo, Dewsbury-Hall, Vestergaard.
Subs not used: Ward, Coady, Souttar, Choudhury, Daka, Marcal, Stolarczyk.
Sunderland AFC: Patterson, Ballard, O’Nien, Hume, Huggins (Cirkin 64), Neil, Ekwah (Rigg 64), Jobe (Pritchard 74), Roberts, Clarke, Burstow (Ba 64).
Subs not used: Bishop, Seelt, Triantis, Luis Hemir, Rusyn.