Bristol City’s Anis Mehmeti delivered a second-half wonder goal, adding to the woes of Championship title hopefuls Leicester City, who suffered a 1-0 defeat.
Former England striker Jamie Vardy squandered two significant opportunities for the visiting team, costing them the chance to reclaim the top spot in the table.
In the first half, the home side had two strong penalty appeals dismissed as the teams entered halftime deadlocked.
However, Anis Mehmeti’s first home goal of the year, expertly fired past Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, proved decisive in securing all three points for the home side.
Leicester has now suffered four defeats in their last six league matches, with much pre-match focus on their legal actions against the Premier League and EFL.
During the dominant first half for the Robins, Hermansen was forced into a double save, first denying Tommy Conway and then Scott Twine’s follow-up.
There were contentious penalty shouts for the home side, with Hamza Choudhury bringing down Rob Dickie in the box, and Wout Faes allegedly tugging at Conway’s shorts at the edge of the area, but referee Andrew Kitchen waved play on.
Faes came close to further frustrating the home fans as he headed wide from a Harry Winks free-kick, while Vardy narrowly missed the post during a Leicester counterattack.
Vardy had two clear-cut chances in the second half to add to his tally of 13 Championship goals but was denied by Bristol City goalkeeper Max O’Leary, who made a crucial save with his foot to thwart the Leicester captain’s efforts.
Despite another opportunity gifted by Zak Vyner’s mistake, Vardy’s hesitation allowed O’Leary to once again produce a remarkable save to deny the striker.
The feeling that a goal was imminent grew as Vardy narrowly missed connecting with a header, and Abdul Fatawu’s curling effort drifted just wide.
However, it was the home team that would break the deadlock, with Mehmeti unleashing a left-footed strike from the edge of the box that eluded Choudhury and Hermansen, giving the hosts the advantage.
Shortly after, substitute Mark Sykes came close to doubling the Robins’ lead, firing a low shot towards goal that Hermansen managed to deflect behind for a corner.
Leicester City nearly equalized through former Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho, who was brought on for Vardy. Iheanacho delicately chipped the ball over the onrushing O’Leary and into the net, but the assistant referee raised the flag, keeping the home side’s clean sheet intact and securing a crucial victory in front of their supporters.
Bristol City boss Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol:
“We switched to the back five and had to ride our luck at times but you make your own luck sometimes.
“It’s not the first time we’ve done it [played five at the back], in my mind the system tends to be more for what happens out of possession.
“How do you set up? How do you organise? What do you do to stop their threats? I thought the lads adjusted very well, the shape worked.
On Max O’Leary and Anis Mehmeti’s performances:
“It’s not the first time he’s done that, Max.
“He was terrific, not just the saves but with his decision-making with the ball.
“I’m really pleased for Anis as well, he’s obsessed with the game and works really hard.
“He’s constantly doing extras [in training] and the challenge now is to transfer that consistently into performances in the division.”
Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca told BBC Radio Leicester:
“Tough afternoon in terms of we create many chances, we miss, and at this moment it is what it is, but there’s no time for head down.
“In 72 hours we have one more game and we go again.
“I need to review the game, we knew that they were a good team, a difficult team.
“But when it’s a tough game and you create many chances, you need to take them.”