A second-half strike by City left-back Bruno Berner proved the winner as City beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park tonight.
The home side were down to ten men after Claude Davis was sent off just before the break for violent conduct in the area yet bizarrely no penalty was given but the Foxes won through, deservedly so, in the end.
City started with Nobbie Solano at right-back, where he finished in Saturday's win over Cardiff City, with Alex Bruce out injured, Michael Morrison moving across to centre-back once again.
The Foxes made their intentions clear early on when a through ball to Martyn Waghorn saw the striker caught off-side in a very tight decision then, in a good move, a Paul Gallagher cross was headed wide by Andy King. Next, a shot on the turn by Dyer needed a save from Julian Speroni.
The heat stayed on with Bruno Berner and Matt Oakley combining to find Gallagher clear in the middle but he steered his shot wide of the gaping goal. Moments later King was cut down by Claude Davis who was booked. Solano took the 30 yard free-kick and sent it inches over the top.
Solano was soon in action at the other end, though, as a low shot from Darren Ambrose was cleared off the line by the City man in a rare moment of danger for the Foxes.
Back came City and from a Berner cross, Gallagher had a header saved before Palace attacked again, a Calvin Andrew shot being turned into the side net by Chris Weale for a corner This was cleared and City broke upfield, Waghorn almost clear but he was foiled at the last gasp by a saving tackle from Nathaniel Clyne.
The pressure stayed on with Oakley having a shot saved and next a Gallagher cross-field pass found Berner on the left for a cross-shot just wide of the far post.
Then came real drama as Davis was shown a straight red card for a clash with Michael Morrison in the area, spotted by a linesman and reported to the referee, and City were mystified that no penalty was awarded so it stood scoreless at the break.
City restarted brightly hoping to take advantage of being a man to the good and Berner saw a shot fly just over but it turned out it was only a sighter for in the 51st minute City took the lead when the Swiss international rammed home the rebound after a Waghorn shot from a Dyer cross from the right had been beaten away by Speroni .
Palace, though, were showing some fight and a shot by Neil Danns was a test for Weale who saved well but right away at the other end, Gallagher cut in for a shot equally well saved by Speroni. City then won two corners in a row, the pressure easing with Oakley seeing a shot blocked.
Back came the home side and from a Palace corner, Clint Hill's powerful header needed a brilliant save from Weale who gathered Hill's header from the ensuing corner.
City brought on Steve Howard for Waghorn and he soon touched the ball on for Dyer whose shot was only just blocked then moments later Howard headed over from a right wing cross.
In the closing stages, Johnny Ertl fired wide during a spell of Palace pressure and while City still had work to do right to the end, they saw out the game safely.
City: Weale; Solano, Hobbs, Morrison, Berner, Oakley, A King, Wellens, Gallagher, Waghorn, Dyer. Subs: Logan, Neilson, McGivern, Howard (63 for Waghorn), Adams (85 for Gallagher), N'Guessan (78 for Dyer), Kermorgant.
Booked: Waghorn.
Crystal Palace: Speroni; Clyne, Hill, Derry, Ambrose, Danns, Andrew, Lee, Butterfield, Ertl, Davis. Subs: John, Carle, Scannell (78 for Ambrose), Hills (46 for Lee), Lawrence (46 for Clyne) Djilali, N'Diaye.
Referee: S Tanner.
Attendance: 12,721.
