Austin fluffs his lines as Southampton draw with Leicester

Southampton extended their unbeaten run to six matches in all competitions after a 0-0 draw away to Leicester City.

Charlie Austin, watched by interim England coach Gareth Southgate, was in the thick of the action in the first half and rattled the post with a shot from a tight angle.

Southampton were dealt a blow when full-back Cedric Soares hobbled off with an ankle injury.

The reigning Premier League champions improved at the end of the half with Jamie Vardy and Islam Slimani having efforts blocked by the impressive Oriol Romeu.

It was a similar pattern in the second period with Shinzi Okazaki’s header going agonisingly wide, while Austin and substitute James Ward-Prowse missed glorious opportunities in the closing stages as both sides shared the spoils.

Since scoring in a Premier League record 11 consecutive games, the striker has netted in only nine of 29 appearances. He was substituted by Caludio Ranieri in the second half after another below-par display where he spurned a good chance to score in the first period. The chemistry with Riyaz Mahrez has not been evident so far this season.

Oriol Romeu (Southampton): The midfielder was a colossus with his positioning and tackling. The former Chelsea man made a triple block to deny Jamie Vardy and Islam Slimani and was composed in his passing.

LEICESTER: Schmeichel 6, Simpson 5, Morgan 6, Huth 6, Fuchs 5, Mahrez 5, Drinkwater 6, Amartey 4, Albrighton 5, Slimani 6, Vardy 5. Subs: Okazaki 5, Gray 5, Ulloa 5.

SOUTHAMPTON: Forster 5, Cedric 5, Fonte 6, Davis 6, Austin 7, Tadic 5, Romeu 8, Van Dijk 6, Bertrand 5, Redmond 4, Hojbjerg 5. Subs: Martina 5, Long 5, Ward-Prowse 4.

9’ – AUSTIN CHANCE: It is a good ball into the box by Cedric down the right for Austin who gets his header on target but it is straight into the arms of Schmeichel.

15’ - WOODWORK! Austin rattles the far post with a half volley from a tight angle after running onto a ball over the top.

27’ – CEDRIC INJURY: Cedric hobbles off without his boot on after sustaining an ankle injury and is replaced by Martina.

30’ - WHAT A CHANCE! Vardy runs onto a poor backpass from van Dijk, he is tackled but the ball falls to Slimani whose shot is blocked by Romeu. The ball rebounds to Vardy again but Romeu is there to block his shot.

58’ – DAVIS STRIKE: Davis jumps over the challenge of Amartey and lashes in an effort from just inside the box which is deflected over.

62’ - GOOD SAVE! Redmond runs into the box, collects Davis' through ball but his tame shot is saved by Schmeichel at his near post.

63’ - AUSTIN MISS! Van Dijk threads the ball through to Austin who opts to chip the keeper but his effort is saved by Schmeichel. The striker should have gone for power there.

75’ - WHAT A CHANCE! Okazaki with a brilliant diving header across goal which goes inches wide of the post.

84’ - WHAT A MISS! A long thrown in is launched into the box, Long cuts the ball back for Ward-Prowse who drive is over the bar. He should have found the target from there.

Leicester have lost only one of their 11 home Premier League games against the Saints, winning seven.

Saints kept their first clean sheet away to the Foxes since a 4-0 win in December 2001.

Claudio Ranieri's side have lost three of their seven Premier League games this season, as many as they lost in their previous 42 matches.

Southampton have gone more than four hours without conceding a goal in the Premier League.