Leicester City 2 Leeds United 2

 Leeds United surrendered a two-goal lead but extended their unbeaten run to ten matches as Leicester City denied them victory for the third time this season.

After 2-1 home defeats to the Foxes in the Carling Cup and Championship, Leeds must have thought revenge was theirs when Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass put them in the ascendancy, but Paul Gallagher hit back from the penalty spot and skipper Andy King ensured the points were shared.

United have yet to win at the Walkers Stadium and there was controversy when referee Anthony Bates decided against sending off Leeds keeper Kasper Schmeichel for bringing down Darius Vassell in the build-up to the penalty.

Luciano Becchio worked tirelessly in United’s attack but he is doubtful for Tuesday’s home game against Portsmouth after limping off in the 85th minute with hip and ankle injuries.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson admitted: “Of course we are disappointed after being two goals up and in complete control, but we would have taken that result before the game.

“It was a point at a difficult place to come to and we are now unbeaten in ten games.

“We felt Robert Snodgrass was fouled by Gallagher before Vassell won the penalty but these things happen.

“I thought the referee could quite easily have sent Kasper Schmeichel off but these decisions are made at full speed and, fortunately for us, Kasper stayed on the pitch.

“We also had a couple of claims to penalties which might have been given if we had been at home.

“It was a difficult surface and we had to fight and scrap for the first hour or so but we were still in control. Unfortunately, we couldn’t hang on after building that two-goal lead”

Central defender Andy O’Brien was fit enough to resume for Leeds after missing two games with a thigh injury. O’Brien replaced Alex Bruce, who was among the substitutes.

The game was 19 minutes old when the ball was played into Leicester’s goalmouth, where defender Kyle Naughton lost his footing, leaving Gradel a free header for his seventh goal of the season and his fourth in three games.

The first half was far from a festive classic, with most moves stifled before they could develop, and the two goalkeepers having little to do.

The tempo increased after the break and Snodgrass doubled Leeds’ advantage in the 55th minute with a fine left-footed strike from an acute angle for his third goal of the campaign.

Gradel almost made it three, shooting into the side-netting after exchanging passes with Jonny Howson.

Leicester made a double substitution in the 65th minute, Lloyd Dyer and Roman Bednar replacing Yuki Abe and Steve Howard, and they grabbed a 72nd-minute lifeline when Snodgrass lost possession. Vassell raced round Schmeichel, who brought him down and was extremely fortunate to be shown a yellow card when Leicester’s players wanted it to be red.

Gallagher was entrusted with the penalty kick and he drilled the ball confidently past Schmeichel.

Five minutes later Leicester were level, King chesting the ball down before beating Schmeichel with power and accuracy.

Becchio and Howson made way for Billy Paynter and Ross McCormack with five minutes left and Amdy Faye left the bench in injury time but it was too late for him to influence the outcome.