Superb first-half goals from Stephy Mavididi and Patson Daka secured three points as improving Leicester City withstood a strong Stoke City fightback to claim back-to-back Championship wins.

The promotion-chasing Potters, who would have gone second with a victory given Middlesbrough's draw with Oxford United, began encouragingly but trailed to Mavididi's thumping 23rd-minute strike.

Stoke continued to edge possession and pose the greater goal threat, but Daka's exquisite dinked finish made it 2-0 to the hosts just before the interval.

A blistering start to the second half put the Potters right back in the game, with Bae Jun-ho heading home from close range just moments after Foxes keeper Asmir Begovic had made an incredible reaction save to deny Million Manhoef.

Leicester did look dangerous on the break and Daka should have made it 3-1 with 20 minutes remaining, but he completely missed his kick from a fine Jordan James cross.

And the Foxes had Begovic to thank for their sixth league win of a stuttering season, the veteran keeper making a spectacular diving stop to keep out Jun-ho's rasping volley from the edge of the box.

Begovic had talked up Leicester's promotion chances before the game and the former Stoke, Bournemouth and Chelsea keeper was a key factor in a gritty win by a Leicester side who move up to 10th, three points adrift of Stoke who remain third.

A stunning save in each half ensured that the Foxes took all the points from a game in which Mavididi's rasping left-foot shot and Daka's cute finish from Abdul Farawu's perfectly weighted pass were the home side's only attempts on target.

Jun-ho's goal, after Ashley Phillips had headed Junior Tchamadeu's deep cross back across goal, led to an increasingly nervy and fractious finish.

But Leicester withstood some sustained late pressure including a series of set pieces for a valuable victory.

They are away to Southampton on Tuesday evening, when Stoke will aim to bounce back at home to Charlton Athletic.

Leicester City boss Marti Cifuentes told BBC Radio Leicester:

"It's an important win, especially because it makes it back-to-back wins.

"To start back after the international break with three points is always a positive for building momentum and trying to build some confidence.

"I'm happy for the fans and for the players, because I know how hard they worked in a game that was not easy.

"What I've seen in the last three games is a team that is working really hard. We need to be humble, the Championship is a difficult league and you need to grind it out sometimes."

Stoke City boss Mark Robins told BBC Radio Stoke:

"I thought we started off really brightly. But you look at the chances we had and the decision making, sometimes it's not the right one. Sometimes we'll take a shot when it's a pass, sometimes we'll pass when it's a shot.

"It's just those mixed up moments, but everybody is allowed to make mistakes, that's the nature of a human being and it's about how you rectify them.

"To give the ball away in an area that then cost us a goal, not just once, but twice, is really frustrating.

"After a really bright start in the first half, you're two goals down going into the second half - right on half-time when you give the second goal away. You know you're going to have a conversation at half-time. They came out and lifted the performance; it was more like us."