Walsall 0-1 Leicester: Kelechi Iheanacho’s deflected strike gives Brendan Rodgers’ side the win

Kelechi Iheanacho may be third choice striker in the Premier League but in the FA Cup he is still the go-to guy for Leicester.

The Nigerian was left out of the starting XI here but made the decisive contribution shortly after replacing Patson Daka near the hour mark, as his deflected shot from the edge of the penalty was enough to put the Foxes in round five.

Iheanacho’s strike spared Youri Tielemans the embarrassment of missing a penalty soon after the interval against League Two club Walsall, who are 65 places below them in the league system.

While this will not be enough to ease relegation-threatened Leicester’s Premier League woes, they are at least still on track in the competition they won two years ago.

Sensing Leicester’s fragility, Walsall roared at them. Within a minute Daniel Amartey headed away a dangerous cross from Andy Williams and soon afterwards Foxes goalkeeper Daniel Iversen – in the side with Danny Ward rested – nearly made a mess of a low effort from Tom Knowles.

If Brendan Rodgers’ team thought they would have any protection from referee Gavin Ward, crunching tackles on Patson Daka and James Maddison quickly dispelled those ideas.

Youri Tielemans then fired over from distance for Leicester and at the other end, Wout Faes was in the right place to clear from Knowles, who had beaten Amartey on the left.

Belgium international Youri Tielemans failed to convert his penalty after the half-time break

But Kelechi Iheanacho’s heavily-deflected strike gave Leicester the lead after the interval

Maddison was then booked for protesting when ref Ward ordered him off the field for treatment, following another heavy challenge. Leicester were starting to find some rhythm but their finishing was awry.

Daka twice headed over from promising positions and Harvey Barnes miscued a far-post volley. Walsall’s response was to get physical: Donervon Daniels put Barnes on the deck as the winger tried to burst out of his own half, and Hayden White was booked for a late tackle on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Daka’s movement was good but he lacked accuracy. At one stage he spun inside the box to create space, only to fire so far past the target that he conceded a throw-in. Another shot on the turn trickled into the arms of Owen Evans, and the next whizzed over the top.

Moments earlier, Maddison – who was being baited throughout by the crowd – had squared up to Robbie Willmott as Walsall prepared to take a free-kick, but the playmaker escaped a second yellow card.

At the start of the second half, White tripped Daka and though the referee originally gave a free-kick, the linesman advised him to award a penalty. Seconds later, the home crowd were on their feet when Tielemans’ poorly-struck penalty hit the post.

The Belgian midfielder, bizarrely, laughed in disbelief but Leicester nearly suffered greater pain moments later. Willmott robbed Luke Thomas and sent over a cross that Williams volleyed narrowly over.

Then Dewsbury-Hall won an important challenge inside the Walsall half and teed up Barnes, whose shot from a narrow angle was parried.

Evans rescued his team again with a fine save to stop Tielemans’ low drive from 25 yards before recovering brilliantly to keep out the follow-up from Daka.

With Maddison only recently returned from injury, he was replaced by Dennis Praet soon after the hour mark to the delight of the crowd. The England international appeared to toss a sock tie into the home fans, which was quickly returned in his direction.

Leicester also took off Thomas and handed a debut to Victor Kristiansen, signed from FC Copenhagen this month. But it was the visitors’ third sub who made the greatest impact.

Having replaced Daka moments earlier, Iheanacho collected a pass from Timothy Castagne and aimed for goal. He took aim and his effort took a cruel deflection off Brandon Comley and looped over the helpless Evans.

Owen Evans produced a number of fine saves in to keep his side in the game in the second-half

Despite spending much of the game on the back foot, Walsall came close to securing a late equaliser but were denied by Daniel Iversen

Iheanacho should have had his second when Praet outmuscled Liam Gordon and turned the ball into the danger zone, only for Evans to bail out his team again by blocking the effort from six yards.

Walsall rallied and sensed an equaliser when Iversen, who had an uncertain afternoon, gathered at the second attempt with substitute Yann Songo’o closing in.

By this time, Leicester should have been home and dry but they could not get the final touch right. This time it was Dewsbury-Hall’s turn to guide wide from an ideal position after he had collected a return pass from Kristiansen. Iheanacho was chasing his second and was betrayed by the even pitch when he struck Barnes’ pass goalwards.