Puel denies Mahrez absence a distraction

IT SHOULD perhaps be of no surprise that when Riyad Mahrez goes AWOL, Leicester City’s clinical edge does the same.

Claude Puel’s side should have waltzed to victory against Swansea after blowing away their opponents in the first half. But they somehow contrived to take just a point, after Federico Fernandez cancelled out Jamie Vardy’s first-half opener.

It was a frustrating end to the week for Puel. A lacklustre display while losing at Goodison Park in midweek compounded the Mahrez saga, with the player still having failed to turn up to training since being denied a move to Manchester City.

‘Riyad is not my preoccupation,’ Puel said. The two points the Frenchman had just seen his side throw away had done little to lift his mood. ‘We conceded one chance and we conceded a goal. It’s harsh for the team.’

LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel 6; Simpson 6.5 (Okazaki 80), Dragovic 6, Maguire 6, Fuchs 6.5: Silva 6 (James 67, 6), Ndidi 6: Albrighton 6, Iheanacho 6.5 (Gray 67, 6), Diabate 6; Vardy 7. Subs (not used): Hamer, Chilwell, Iborra, Benalouane. Booked: Diabate.

SWANSEA (5-4-1): Fabianski 6; Naughton 6, Van der Hoorn 6, Fernandez 6.5, Mawson 7, Olsson 6; Dyer 6 (Bony 71, 6), Fer 6 (Carroll 36, 6.5), Ki 6, Clucas 5.5; Ayew 5 (Routledge 90). Subs (not used): Abraham, Narsingh, Nordfeldt, Bartley. referee: A Taylor 6.