Leicester 0-2 Crystal Palace: Foxes stuck in drop zone after sixth straight defeat as Eagles climb above Manchester United into 14th after goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marc Guehi

 IT takes more than a few hotshot lawyers to keep a team as weak as Leicester in the Premier League.

The Foxes escaped a possible points deduction last summer even though the authorities were adamant they had broken spending rules. 

And they managed to go unpunished again – for now at least – when the League delivered their verdict this week on the club’s latest set of accounts.

Yet none of that matters if you cannot take chances or defend properly. 

Leicester missed their opportunities and second-half goals from Jean-Philippe Mateta and Marc Guehi made it six away games unbeaten for Crystal Palace.

Leicester remain in the bottom three after six league defeats in a row under Ruud van Nistelrooy. No wonder there were boos at full-time.

Leicester remain in the bottom three after six league defeats in a row under Ruud van Nistelrooy

Leicester City started the brighter side with early chances falling to Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy could have scored twice in the opening three minutes, first when he failed to make proper contact with Facundo Buonanotte’s low cross and then with a volley on the run that flew just wide.

The lively Stephy Mavididi saw a shot blocked by Guehi and moments later sent Vardy racing through.

Dean Henderson made a good save and though the flag was raised, it looked particularly tight.

Palace had offered little in attack yet still they missed the best chance of the first half. 

Victor Kristiansen tried to play the ball up the line but it hit Daniel Munoz in the face and rebounded to Mateta, who failed even to test Jakub Stolarczyk from an excellent position.

Mavididi then squeezed between Munoz and Will Hughes and turned the ball across goal, where Vardy shanked a difficult chance. 

At the other end, Hughes fired over shortly after James Justin had gone close with a free-kick. Palace had looked vulnerable in the first half and Leicester did not make them pay. 

Sure enough, Ismaila Sarr shrugged off Mavididi and played the ball inside Jannik Vestergaard for Mateta to round Stolarczyk and score.

Jean-Phillipe Mateta’s scored the game opener in the 52nd minute 

Mateta’s strike was The Eagles first shot on target in the game

The French footballer now has scored against the Foxes three-times this season, taking his Premier League total to six

As happens so often, Leicester lost their nerve. 

Mateta was a fraction away from converting Munoz’s cross and Stolarcyzk made a fine save to deny Tyrick Mitchell. 

Vardy tried to drag his side back and was just off target with a flick from Kristiansen’s cross.

Moments later, Kasey McAteer played in fellow substitute Patson Daka but the shot was rushed. 

And seconds later, Boubakary Soumare struck the bar. Soon afterwards Vardy put a far-post volley into the crowd.

Those errors were soon punished. 

Eberechi Eze floated a free-kick to the far post where the unmarked Guehi guided it into the roof of the net.

Marc Guehi doubled the Eagles lead with a superb volley scored from a brilliantly worked set piece

The Foxes with tonight’s defeat remain in the relegation zone on 14 points

The Eagles now find themselves eight points above the drop zone