Leicester, Stoke Share Points In Entertaining Derby
Butland spilled a cross from Marc Albrighton into his own net in the 71st minute for what at the time was an unlikely equaliser to cancel out Xherdan Shaqiri's seventh goal of the season.
The keeper, captain in the absence of Ryan Shawcross, atoned for his howler by producing stunning saves to deny Riyad Mahrez and Harry Maguire while Matty James headed against the post as Claude Puel's side pulled out all the stops to chase a winner.
The draw kept Stoke in second bottom spot in the Premier League, a point from safety, while Leicester moved up a place to seventh, on goal difference above Burnley.
Leicester winger Mahrez made his first Premier League start since his collapsed move to Manchester City.
Shawcross injured an ankle in training earlier in the week with Butland taking the skipper's armband.
And there was no place in the squad for Saido Berahino after a tabloid story about his private life, or experienced midfielder Darren Fletcher.
Shawcross's replacement, Bruno Martins Indi, and his team-mates were soon busy defending as Leicester forced the pressure.
Leicester earned a series of corners almost straight from the kick off, and from one of them, midfielder James curled a first-time effort a foot over the bar.
Stoke took a while to settle but when they did, they forced the first save of the game.
Shaqiri burst through the middle and his deflected pass fell to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who turned inside Mahrez before curling a low shot that Kasper Schmeichel saved diving to his left in the 13th minute.
There was an early booking – and what looked like a harsh one too - for Albrighton after the Leicester winger brought down Shaqiri in the 18th minute.
Leicester's route to goal seemed to be mainly via set-pieces and following another corner, Mahrez sent a bouncing volley straight at Butland.
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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