- Leicester City Under-23s secured an admirable 3-3 draw with second-placed Manchester City in Premier League 2 on Monday 30 January, 2017
- The Foxes made their debut at Holmes Park, their official new home, in front of a healthy following of 613 spectators from the Blue Army
- Admiral Muskwe, Raul Uche and Layton Ndukwu got on the scoresheet against strong opposition for Steve Beaglehole's men in Whetstone
- City next face Southampton in their second clash at Holmes Park in Premier League 2 on Monday 6 February, 2017 (7pm kick-off)
Despite hitting the woodwork twice in the opening 45 minutes, City found themselves two goals down at the interval courtesy of strikes from Isaac Buckley-Ricketts and Rodney Kongolo but Steve Beaglehole’s men launched a stirring comeback in the second period.
Admiral Muskwe struck in the 63rd minute before substitute Raul Uche scored a brilliant curler soon after to level the scores. Substitute Denzeil Boadu then put the visitors back in front just seconds later but Layton Ndukwu converted a late penalty in the 79th minute to secure a valuable point.
The Blue Army were out in force with 613 fans supporting City from the sidelines for their and Beaglehole's side made an adventurous start to proceedings in Whetstone with both Ndukwu and Muskwe proving dangerous on several occasions.
But it was Manchester City who took an early lead when Aleix Garcia dragged his free-kick back across goal for Buckley-Ricketts to apply a neat finish at the far post with Daniel Iversen being unable to get a hand to it despite his best efforts.
Leicester rallied after going behind and went agonisingly close to grabbing a quick-fire equaliser after just 13 minutes when Ndukwu tried his luck from all of 20 yards but his superb effort rebounded off the woodwork and was ultimately cleared to safety.
It took the visitors just 24 minutes to double their advantage, however, when Kongolo slipped through the net by muscling his way past two City players in the middle before slotting it in neatly past Iversen in the City net.
The hosts refused to give in and they hit the woodwork again when Kairo Mitchell corkscrewed his body on the edge of the penalty area before cutting it back across goal and striking the base of Daniel Grimshaw’s upright.
They got their due rewards in the 63rd minute when Ndukwu crossed for Muskwe in the centre to smash it beyond the Manchester City shot-stopper and give his side a fighting chance of earning a point.
Uche, a half-time replacement for Darnell Johnson, restored parity with a brilliant curler from distance 16 minutes from time but his jubilation was cut short by a Boadu effort from point blank range moments later which put Simon Davies's visitors back in front.
When Boadu was adjudged to have handled in his own penalty area, however, Ndukwu stepped up to confidently beat Grimshaw and set up a grandstand finish in front of a lively home support.
It ultimately ended three apiece at Holmes Park and Beaglehole can take many positives from the clash considering their half-time predicament against a side who sit second in the Premier League 2 table.
CITY: Iversen, Johnson (Uche 45), Knight, Moore (c), Wood, Miles, Choudhury, Pascanu, Ndukwu, Muskwe, Mitchell.
SUBS NOT USED: Debayo, Bramley, Watts, Dewsbury-Hall.
GOALS: Muskwe 63, Uche 74, Ndukwu pen 79.
MANCHESTER CITY: Grimshaw, Duhaney, Humphreys, Adarabioyo, Oliver (Diallo 86), Garcia, Diaz, Kongolo (c), Buckley-Ricketts, Fernandes (Boadu 46), Nemane (Nmecha 70).
SUBS NOT USED: Francis, Muric.
GOALS: Buckley-Ricketts 6, Kongolo 24, Boadu 76.
REFEREE: Steven Rushton
ATTENDANCE: 613