Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson’s first return to Leicester City since leaving the club in 2015 ended in defeat with a 1-0 victory for his former team who moved back to the top of the Championship.
The match-winning goal came from Jamie Vardy, a player Pearson brought to the King Power Stadium 11 years ago.
When Pearson was in charge, for his second spell at the club, he kept Leicester up in their first season back in the Premier League before being sacked that summer. But he was credited with building the core of Claudio Ranieri’s squad that went on to win the Premier League title in 2016.
Now manager of Bristol City, Pearson came back to Leicester on crutches due to a back problem. But there were to be no celebrations as Vardy’s 67th-minute penalty, after Kai Naismith had brought down Wilfred Ndidi, set up Leicester’s seventh Championship win of the season, and their third in successive games.
Stephy Mavididi set the tone for the game after three minutes when he volleyed just wide from the edge of the area.
But Bristol frustrated Leicester after that, inviting Enzo Maresca’s men to break them down.
Abdul Fatawu, making his first start since joining Leicester on loan from Sporting Lisbon, produced a powerful drive after cutting in from the right, but goalkeeper Max O’Leary did well to parry the shot.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall then saw a goalbound shot blocked by Robins defender Kai Naismith after 30 minutes.
But, for all their possession, Leicester were let down by some poor decision making in the Bristol area.
Leicester maintained their pressure in the second half and almost took the lead after 55 minutes.
Fatawu’s cross was met by Dewsbury-Hall, whose close-range header was pushed out by O’Leary, and when Mavididi followed up, he had his shot blocked. A minute later, O’Leary had to be alert again to keep Mavididi out.
Pearson then made a triple substitution just before the hour mark.
But Leicester took the lead after 66 minutes when Ndidi was brought down by Naismith in the penalty area and Vardy converted from the penalty spot.
The striker then ran towards the travelling Bristol supporters, who had been taunting him before his penalty, and pointed to the name on his back.
It was a goal that relieved some of the tension at the King Power Stadium against a side that did not manage a shot on target until the final kick of the game.
Vardy’s goal was his third in the last five game in all competitions. But Jason Knight almost responded with an equaliser as his shot sailed narrowly over the crossbar.
Leicester had one last anxious moment as Bristol substitute Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s free-kick was comfortably held by goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.
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