Ten-man Leicester hold Gunners

Mancini and Sturridge made their debuts for Leicester

Leicester City 0-0 Arsenal

Leicester City regained a measure of respect after a 6-1 defeat at Highbury by holding Arsenal on home territory.

Matthew Jones was sent off for two yellow cards just before the break, but Arsenal were unable to take advantage in a 0-0 draw.

Leicester's two new forward signings, Roberto Mancini and Dean Sturridge, both started.

Mancini could have scored after just nine minutes only for Sturridge to take a cross off the Italian's head as he was poised to strike.

It was more difficult when we played against 10 men than 11 - but that's not unusual

  Arsene Wenger

The communication between the Italian and the Englishman was better on 25 minutes when Mancini picked out Sturridge with a floated ball over the top of Keown.

But the Arsenal defender got the ball away in combination with Lee Dixon at the second attempt.

In between Wiltord twice had half chances, but the £13m man snatched at them with his left foot and put both efforts over the bar.

Team-mates clash

He made a better attempt at a third chance when he tricked his way past three defenders with some clever footwork, only for his angled shot to come back off the post.

Arsenal took control as the half wore on and Leicester were typically industrious in their attempts to turn the tide of the match.

But with five minutes to go to the break, Jones took his tenacity a little too far with a foul from behind on Freddie Ljungberg.

Sturridge and Mancini try to get over the language barrier

Jones, who had already been booked for a foul on Wiltord, was perhaps a little unlucky to receive a second booking from referee Barry Knight for only his second foul of the match.

With Leicester down to 10 men, the pressure showed as Gerry Taggart lashed out at team-mate Savage as the seconds ran out in the first half.

Arsenal brought on Edu, their own debutant, for the second half in place of Ljungberg and the Brazilian showed some typical flair with a cheeky back heel with almost his first touch.

But the Brazilian's debut was shortlived as a hamstring strain saw him replaced by Dennis Bergkamp only 15 minutes into the second half.

Crowd bay for red card

Leicester had their own injury problems when Muzzy Izzet worryingly went off on a stretcher with his neck in a brace after hurting himself going up for a header.

The players call themselves the grinders and they ground out a result today

  Peter Taylor

The pressure started to build on 10-man Leicester as Henry and Wiltord both went close from inside the box before Henry clipped the bar with a first-time shot from a Parlour cross.

It was no surprise when Mancini, making his first start for eight months, was replaced by Ade Akinbiyi midway through the second half.

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Leicester: Royce, Rowett, Elliott, Taggart, Impey, Jones, Izzet, Robbie Savage, Davidson, Sturridge, Mancini.
Subs: Gilchrist, Guppy, Gunnlaugsson, Akinbiyi, Price.

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Silvinho, Ljungberg, Vieira, Parlour, Pires, Henry, Wiltord.
Subs: Stepanovs, Bergkamp, Manninger, Edu, Vivas.

Referee: B Knight (Orpington)