While 2016 was a year to remember for Leicester City and Middlesbrough, much work is still to be done if 2017 does not turn into an almighty dud. Neither side deserved to win this scrap of a Premier League match, with the goalkeepers barely having a save to make and the result not exactly helping either team’s bid to move up the table.

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Perhaps it was not surprising this was not a free-flowing affair, given Boro and Leicester have scored a combined 41 league goals, a figure equalled or bettered individually by Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. The result still keeps both teams comfortably above the bottom three but Claudio Ranieri and Aitor Karanka may need to improve the attacking potency in order to move further away from danger. Boro are in negotiations to sign Aston Villa’s Rudy Gestede but Karanka would not be drawn on the mooted deal.

The only real moment of controversy came in the first half when Adama Traoré felt he deserved a penalty after going down under the challenge of Robert Huth. The admirable defender said afterwards “we got lucky” but Ranieri’s response was more to the point, the Leicester manager saying: “If that is a penalty, I’m the pope.”

Both sides made five changes from their matches on New Year’s Eve and the first half was a fragmented one as a result. Leicester offered little width while Boro often found themselves in strong attacking positions only to be let down by the end product.

The champions held a two-point advantage over Middlesbrough before kick-off and Karanka spoke beforehand of the importance of the match because it came against a relegation rival. Leicester’s two points from nine away games before this match on Monday is the joint lowest total by defending top-flight champions but they have enjoyed a far superior record over Boro in recent times, not losing in their past 13 meetings.

Leicester started well, with Shinji Okazaki causing problems with his usual injection of energy and a persevering run from the Japan forward saw the ball at the feet of Christian Fuchs on the left-hand edge of the penalty area but the full-back dragged his shot wide.

For Boro, their best outlet was Traoré who continues his season of wonderful runs and woeful crossing. On more than one occasion the Spaniard beat his man down the right before failing to deliver a telling ball but he was certainly Middlesbrough’s most dangerous threat.

In the 18th minute Traoré went down on the edge of the area with the referee, Robert Madley, giving nothing, before setting up his team’s best chance of the half moments later. Traoré drove to the byline and squared the ball across goal for Marten de Roon, but the midfielder could fire only over the crossbar with his first-time effort.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest No way past Robert Huth and Wes Morgan for Gaston Ramírez. Photograph: Scott Heppell/Reuters

Both sides struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, although Leicester’s Andy King and Boro’s George Friend – on for the injured Antonio Barragán – both fizzed enticing balls across the box only to evade onrushing team-mates.

Of his side’s lack of goals this season, and the interest in Gestede, Karanka said: “I think the main thing for scoring goals is creating chances, and we are creating chances.

“Two weeks ago against Swansea we scored three, we couldn’t score today but my head is with the players we have now because all of them are doing a really good job. I want to finish the transfer market with a better squad than we have now.

“It was a good result for us, I’m really pleased with the performance. We saw when we played away we were better then them [Leicester] and we showed today we are better than them.”

Friend had at least made an impact for Karanka’s side and the full-back cut inside from the left in the 68th minute, beat two defenders before slicing wide.

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Leicester came close when Leonardo Ulloa headed a corner straight at Brad Guzan, but the game was descending into a low-grade affair.

Gaston Ramírez went close to snatching a late goal, firing a low shot into the side netting after a poor headed clearance from Wes Morgan, but no one deserved to win this match.

Ranieri said: “The performance was good, a good spirit. We got one point and a second clean sheet in a row, it was good for us. Middlesbrough pushed a lot but were only dangerous on two or three crosses. We were so solid, I’m pleased with the spirit we showed.

“This season we have conceded so many goals, we had to improve. We have gone back to being solid and strong with a good personality.”