This is Leicestershire -- *QPR:* *Leicester City:* 1 (Vardy, 41)--------------------
*Leicester City* gave themselves a huge dose of Christmas cheer as they ground out a 1-0 win over Championship leaders QPR. Jamie Vardy's first-half strike ended up being all there was to separate the two sides in a game littered with chances. QPR squandered opportunities to get themselves back in the game but the hosts were given a real mountain to climb when Joey Barton was sent off seven minutes from time. But Nigel Pearson's men held firm to end a run of four games without a win in all competitions and hand QPR their first defeat at Loftus Road in the league this season. The home fans were not happy with referee Paul Tierney after the game after he waved away four shouts for a penalty. Pearson made four changes to the side that lost to Man City in the Capital One Cup, reverting back to the same starting line-up that drew 1-1 with Burnley. Ritchie De Laet and Liam Moore, who was excellent throughout the game, returned in defence in place of Marcin Wasilewski and Ignasi Miquel while Matty James and Jamie Vardy replaced Andy King and Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Kasper Schmeichel was the first goalkeeper to be tested as he had his palms stung by some long-range efforts from Barton and Niko Kranjcar. But the highlight of the opening stages was the lengthy delay when a squirrel invaded the pitch and refused to leave, no matter how much David Nugent or the stewards tried to chase it. Schmeichel and Moore were on hand once again to deny QPR three times. Charlie Austin, who had a real game to forget, had a shot saved, Moore headed the follow-up off the line, before Schmeichel returned to tip Matt Phillip's shot around the post. But it was City who took the lead as Vardy, who ran QPR's back four ragged with his pace, grabbed his seventh goal of the season. For a side that had only conceded two goals at home all season in the league, Harry Redknapp will have been furious at the simple nature of City's goal. Route One football at its finest, Kasper Schmeichel launched a goal-kick up-field where David Nugent beat the experienced Clint Hill in the air to flick it into the path of Vardy, who turned his man and powered his first-time shot into the bottom corner. City have been guilty of wasting numerous chances in recent weeks but the boot was well and truly on the other foot this afternoon as they scored from their only shot on target in the first half. QPR should have gone into the break level but Kranjcar made a hash of his dinked effort after being played in by Austin. It was City, though, who spurned a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 when Dyer was played through one-on-one but dragged his shot wide. He did the same later in the half. City put on an incredible rear-guard action as QPR pushed and pushed for an equaliser with Wes Morgan and Moore making block after block. QPR's day got even worse seven minutes from time when Barton was shown a yellow card for a raised arm on Taylor-Fletcher and then, as players huddled around the referee, there was a flash of red and Barton was given his marching orders. The 10-man hosts still had opportunities to win right until the last kick of the game when Austin found himself through on goal but fluffed his chance.
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*Teams:* *Leicester City:* (4-4-2): Schmeichel; De Laet (Wasilewski – 82'), Morgan (c), Moore, Konchesky; Knockaert, James, Drinkwater, Dyer; Vardy (Taylor-Fletcher – 68'), Nugent (Schlupp – 78') *Unused subs:* Logan, Hammond, King, Miquel *Yellow cards:* James *QPR:* (4-4-1-1) Green; Simpson, Dunne, Hill, Assou-Ekotto; Phillips, Carroll (Benayoun – 69'), Barton, O'Neil (Hoilett – 45'); Kranjcar; Austin *Unused subs:* Murphy, Traore, Onuoha, Jenas, Henry *Yellow cards:* Assou-Ekotto, O'Niel *Red cards:* Barton *Referee:* Paul Tierney *Attendance:* 17,713 Reported by This is 2 hours ago.