(REUTERS) - Troubled champions Leicester City were held to a turgid 0-0 Premier League draw at Middlesbrough on Monday (Jan 2) to edge further clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

Leonardo Ulloa missed the visitors' best chance when he headed a Christian Fuchs corner straight at Brad Guzan in the 69th minute, although the Foxes were largely toothless without strikers Islam Slimani and Jamie Vardy, who was serving the final match of his three-game suspension.

Middlesbrough, now 16th on 19 points, threatened through Adama Traore, the game's outstanding individual, but he struggled to find an end product to accompany his scintillating work out wide. Boro's Gaston Ramirez fired an 83rd-minute effort into the side netting.

Leicester kept consecutive clean sheets for the first time since April but the champions, who moved seven points clear of the drop zone ahead of the matches later on Monday, are still awaiting their first away win of the season.