Leicester City held on to beat Crystal Palace 1-0 in a tense match at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.
Mahrez bagged the only goal of the game in the 35th minute.
For Palace, Mile Jedinak recovered from a sore back and took his place in the eleven, thus allowing Alan Pardew to name the same team that dumped Reading out of the FA Cup last weekend.
Leicester were also unchanged from the side which beat Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle side last Monday, though Andy King was sick and could not make the subs bench.
The Foxes flew into the game and could have taken the lead inside two minutes, but Jamie Vardy was just unable to on the end of Drinkwater’s pass.
Riyad Mahrez had his first chance of the game in the tenth minute as Shinji Okazaki’s cross deflected off Joe Ledley to give the Algerian a header from six yards out, but he was unable to convert it.
Mahrez was presented with another opportunity after 18 minutes when an inch-perfect Marc Albrighton pass sent him sprinting clear, but Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey spread himself big to make a great save.
Wilfred Zaha missed Palace’s best chance of the opening 45 on the half hour mark, and was immediately made to pay as Leicester went up the other end and took the lead.
Mahrez was the scorer, as Jamie Vardy’s inviting cross was prodded home from the edge of the six yard box.
It could have been 2-0 within moments of the start of the second half, but Okazaki dangerous effort flew just over the bar.
Palace were enjoying more of the ball than in the opening 45, but for all their huffing and puffing they couldn’t find a way through.
Bakary Sako whipped in a delightful cross but no one could get on the end of it, while Jedinak also wasted a good chance.
At the other end, Daniel Drinkwater looked every inch an England player; his runs was midfield were powerful and his passing was permanently accurate.
With ten minutes to go Bakary Sako tested Schmeichel himself with a rasping 25-yard drive, but the Dane made a good stop.
Palace almost snatched a late draw when Damien Delaney turned a Scott Dann flick onto the bar, but the visitors survived.
The result moves Leicester eight points clear of Spurs who play Bournemouth tomorrow. Palace are 15th with 33 points, just eight clear of the drop-zone.
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Next up for Crystal Palace is a trip to high-flying West Ham United next Saturday. Leicester will welcome Southampton to the King Power Stadium.