HAPLESS HUTH RESCUES GUNS
Wenger boosted by freaky winner
ARSENAL got a lucky break to give under-fire Arsene Wenger a bit more breathing space.
With four minutes left, Leicester defender Robert Huth put through his own net to keep Arsenal in the hunt for a top-four place.
Nacho Monreal received the ball from a deflected cross and his shot cannoned off Huth’s chest and past Kasper Schmeichel.
Alexis Sanchex had earlier rattled the bar as Arsenal struggled to build on their FA Cup glory.
Fresh from booking their final date with Chelsea after beating Manchester City on Sunday, the Gunners laboured against a dogged Leicester, with Sanchez going close just before half-time.
Wenger stuck with his three at the back system, bringing Monreal in for Rob Holding.
But the rows and rows of empty seats suggested the Arsenal boss has a long way to go before he wins back all of the Gunners’ faithful.
Sanchez, the match-winner against City, almost gifted Leicester an early lead last night.
Tails
It was the Chile star’s risky backheel on the edge of his box which was quickly picked off, allowing Marc Albrighton to feed Jamie Vardy, whose shot hit the side-netting.
The Foxes arrived with their tails down after their Champions League dream was ended by Atletico Madrid.
But with their Premier League safety not mathematically secure, they had plenty to play for.
Last season’s champions had won five of their last seven league games going into the match and made a strong start.
Petr Cech pulled off a stunning reflex save to tip over a close-range volley from Riyad Mahrez.
The former Footballer of the Year has been missing in action for much of this season but his form has picked up in their recent run.
Moments later, Theo Walcott went jinking through at the other end and forced a diving save from Schmeichel at his near post.
Albrighton then had to hook away a glancing header from Gabriel at a Mesut Ozil corner as Arsenal began to apply some pressure.
Sanchez wanted a penalty for a push by Yohan Benalouane but the linesman rightly judged him offside from Hector Bellerin’s cross.
Before the half was over Sanchez went on a storming run which ended with him smacking a dipping shot over Schmeichel and off the bar.
It was 10 minutes into the second half before either side fashioned another decent chance, and it fell to Wilfred Ndidi, whose header was comfortable for Cech.
When the Gunners did threaten again, Huth got back in time to nick the ball away from Sanchez just as he was about to strike.
You could hear the frustration in the stands growing the longer Arsenal went without scoring. Schmeichel did well to save a heavily deflected long-range effort from Granit Xhaka, with the home side keeping Leicester pinned deep in the own half.
But when Ozil floated in a dangerous looking cross, neither Sanchez nor Laurent Koscielny could get on the end of it. ARSENAL (3-4-3): Cech; Gabriel, Koscielny, Monreal; Bellerin, Xhaka, Coquelin, Gibbs; Ozil, Walcott, Sanchez. Subs: Ramsey, Giroud, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Iwobi, Welbeck, Martinez, Elneny. LEICESTER (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson, Benalouane, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez, Drinkwater, Ndidi, Albrighton; Ulloa, Vardy. Subs: Chilwell, Musa, King, Amartey, Okazaki, Zieler, Gray. Referee: Mike Jones.