Leicester held by Coventry in goalless M69 derby

Abdul Fatawu was among the Leicester players foiled by Coventry goalkeeper Carl Rushworth

Goalkeeper Carl Rushworth was instrumental for Coventry as they held Leicester to a goalless Championship draw in the M69 derby.

A diving save to keep out Jordan James in the 19th minute was among a number of first-half stops made by Rushworth.

And while Stephy Mavididi should have done better when through one-on-one with the Sky Blues goalkeeper just before the hour, the Brighton loanee did well to thrust out his left boot to make the save.

Julian Carranza then sent a tame header into the hands of Rushworth with 17 minutes remaining, while Haji Wright was offside when he did the same at the other end late on in the derby stalemate.

The draw keeps Marti Cifuentes' Foxes a point ahead of Frank Lampard's Coventry side, who are yet to be beaten in the league this season.

Two goals in two games off the bench earned Ricardo Pereira his first start of the season for Leicester, while James started on his home debut and Belgian defender Wout Faes and former England midfielder Harry Winks were also brought into the XI after the 2-2 draw at Oxford.

Lampard made just one change to his side that snatched a draw against Norwich a week earlier, with Brandon Thomas-Asante coming in for Ephron Mason-Clark.

The ceaselessly energetic Abdul Fatawu carved out the first real chance of this game, racing away from deep in his own half before bending a shot into the grasp of Rushworth.

James' low, curled effort from outside the box demanded the most of Rushworth in a first half in which he also had to deal with a thumped effort from Mavididi, a headed attempt from Pereira and a deflected shot from Faes.

While Coventry - the competition's most prolific side so far, with 15 goals in five games before their trip to the King Power Stadium – were limited to headed chances for Jack Rudoni and Bobby Thomas in the first half, they pressed forward with greater threat immediately after the interval.

Leicester keeper Jakub Stolarczyk kept a fierce Rudoni shot out before Wright flashed an effort just wide of the far post for the visitors in an early rush of chances.

The best of them fell to Mavididi at the other end, but Rushworth did well to stop the winger's hasty first-time attempt after he linked up with Jordan Ayew to create time and space to shoot.

Chances kept coming after that, but Carranza failed to make the most of a Fatawu cross that found the Feyenoord loanee unmarked at the back post.

'Rushworth was spot on' - reaction

Leicester City boss Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio Leicester:

"I'm a bit disappointed not to get the three points, especially at home. But we got some answers and definitely, in terms of the performance, steps forward in many areas.

"We need to keep improving, no doubt about it. We need to be more consistent.

"In the first 15 or 20 minutes it was difficult to break through the high press and they were very aggressive - we need to get better in those scenarios. But in the last 15 minutes of the first half ad the first 15 or 20 of the second, we were quite good and we could break through them.

"They are a good team, but perhaps we just missed this last edge in the last third.

"We had the situations [to score] and I'd be much more worried if we weren't creating those, but in football if you don't score the chances you don't get much."

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard told BBC CWR:

"Both teams traded [control in the first half] - we started the game really well and they finished the half well. And the second half was a bit move wavy and open at points.

"We lacked a little bit of quality and sharpness from what we have shown, especially on transitions, and we were just a little off it today which affected our goal threat.

"If you have one of those days, it's normal - but you have to make sure you defend well and be a team."

On the performance of goalkeeper Rushworth: "He is a really good goalkeeper and it's so difficult – I'm so pleased I never was one because it's so difficult with everyone focused on every bit of what you do. Every part of his game was spot-on today.

"That is why you want top goalkeepers in your team, for days like today where you rely on them a little bit. I don't think they created loads of great stuff, but when he was needed he absolutely produced a very good personal performance."