Match ends, Leicester City 2, Watford 2.
LeicesterLeicester City2WatfordWatford2
Danny Drinkwater scored a spectacular injury-time equaliser as Championship leaders Leicester battled back from 2-0 down to draw with Watford.
Fernando Forestieri's header and Sean Murray's low shot secured the visitors a two-goal lead with 41 minutes gone.
And, despite Matty James's volley two minutes before half-time, it looked as though City were on their way to a first league defeat since 7 December.
But Drinkwater struck a 20-yard volley in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
With Burnley moving into second place, Nigel Pearson's side are still 11 points clear at the top, despite their run of nine successive league wins ending.
The Hornets, who are 14th, set up to nullify Leicester's attacking threat, using three centre-backs and packing the midfield with five players.
And, with the Foxes struggling to come to terms with the system, the visitors could have gone in front in the fourth minute as Murray swung over a free-kick and Marco Faraoni headed wide at the far post.
But they took just five more minutes to break the deadlock as Forestieri dived forward to head home as striker Troy Deeney's shot looked to be heading wide.
Watford continued to look the better side in the tricky conditions and, although Manuel Almunia pulled off a great save to keep out James's wind-blown corner, the visitors went further ahead.
Kasper Schmeichel had saved a previous volley from Gabriele Angella, but he could do nothing about Murray's 25-yard strike.
The hosts appeared stunned, but they showed their resilience to snatch a goal back as Ritchie De Laet broke down the right and James met his low cross on the volley for his first goal of the season.
Pearson's side went flat out for an equaliser in the second half, with David Nugent heading wide from Lloyd Dyer's cross.
But their efforts looked to be in vain as the game went into stoppage time, only for Drinkwater to net a dramatic late equaliser.
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson:
"We certainly deserved to get something out of the game. It is always difficult when you go two goals down and we were disappointed in the manner in which we conceded them.
"But you have got to give Watford credit. I thought their game plan was thorough and they didn't allow us too much space behind their defenders.
"All in all, I don't think anyone could argue that we didn't deserve to get something out of the game because we dominated the vast majority of it."
Watford coach Giuseppe Sannino:
"I think it was a very, very good performance against a team who have been on such a great run with nine wins.
"We created a lot of problems for them but we did not change our tactics for this match. We always play this system.
"It was a fair result and I think Leicester deserve to be top of the table because of their consistency this season."
Line-ups
Leicester
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Schmeichel
- 2de Laet
- 3KoncheskyBooked at 24mins
- 8James
- 27WasilewskiSubstituted forWoodat 84'minutes
- 5Morgan
- 24Knockaert
- 4Drinkwater
- 35Nugent
- 9VardySubstituted forPhillipsat 75'minutes
- 11DyerSubstituted forMahrezat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Hammond
- 10King
- 15Schlupp
- 25Logan
- 26Mahrez
- 28Phillips
- 39Wood
Watford
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Almunia
- 19FaraoniSubstituted forPudilat 72'minutes
- 21Anya
- 6Ekstrand
- 27CassettiBooked at 74mins
- 4Angella
- 16Murray
- 7BattocchioSubstituted forMerkelat 90+5'minutes
- 11ForestieriBooked at 84minsSubstituted forHallat 85'minutes
- 9Deeney
- 28TözsérBooked at 22mins
Substitutes
- 3Bellerín
- 8Merkel
- 12Doyley
- 13Ranegie
- 17Hall
- 18Pudil
- 30Bond
- Referee:
- Martin Atkinson
- Attendance:
- 23,635
Match Stats
Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamWatford
- Possession
- Home68%
- Away32%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away3
- Corners
- Home10
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Leicester City 2, Watford 2.
Post update
Attempt missed. David Nugent (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Chris Wood with a headed pass following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Daniel Pudil.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Alexander Merkel replaces Cristian Battocchio.
Goal!
Goal! Leicester City 2, Watford 2. Daniel Drinkwater (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Matthew James with a headed pass.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Matthew James (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kevin Phillips (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez.
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Kevin Phillips (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Gabriele Angella (Watford).
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Offside, Watford. Daniel Tözsér tries a through ball, but Troy Deeney is caught offside.
Post update
Foul by Chris Wood (Leicester City).
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Joel Ekstrand (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Leicester City. David Nugent tries a through ball, but Kevin Phillips is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt missed. David Nugent (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez with a cross following a set piece situation.
Substitution
Substitution, Watford. Fitz Hall replaces Fernando Forestieri.
Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Chris Wood replaces Marcin Wasilewski.
Booking
Fernando Forestieri (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Wes Morgan (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Fernando Forestieri (Watford).
