The following correction was printed in the Guardian's Corrections and clarifications column, Thursday January 4 2007

In the article below we said in error that it was Leicester's 32nd successive home premiership win, but they drew against Gloucester in September, five home premiership matches ago.

New year, old story. Leicester yesterday rattled off a 32nd successive home Premiership win. It has kept them within a point of the leaders, Bristol, whom they trounced here last month, and they look nicely poised for an assault on a first title in five years.

But if the bonus-point victory was as inevitable as a hangover on New Year's Day morning, the result was in doubt until a quarter of an hour from the end when Saracens were judged to have brought down a scrum and the visitors' captain, Kevin Yates, was sent to the sin-bin. When the fifth successive scrum collapsed, the referee, Chris White, gave a penalty try.

The extra point means Leicester have amassed 12 points and have scored four tries in each of their three Christmas fixtures, a cause for more raised glasses in the east midlands last night. Pat Howard, their head coach, has successfully juggled his squad over a tricky period and Leicester appear to have a depth of talent unmatched by their rivals. It is certainly a big psychological boost when you can bring on the current England captain and fly-half from the bench, as Howard did when Martin Corry and Andy Goode came on to the field with 10 minutes remaining.

Howard was vindicated in his decision to pick the Irishman Ian Humphreys ahead of Goode at No10. Goode's form had deserted him in the Boxing Day defeat at London Irish and Humphreys, who had had an assured 40 minutes against Bristol, was outstanding for 70 yesterday.

Leicester prevailed despite playing against driving wind and rain in the second half. They were fortunate to go in at the interval with a six-point lead. The clock seemed to have wound down when Ben Kay was driven over by a 13-man maul. Earlier Yates had scored a try to put Saracens ahead after a drive by the visitors' pack. Scott Bemand then stole the ball from a ruck and went on a blindside dart before giving a pass to Alesana Tuilagi for the first of his two tries.

After half-time Leicester's replacement scrum-half Frank Murphy chipped a ball through which Tim Taylor, making his Premiership debut, failed to gather and Tuilagi hacked on to score. Census Johnston, another large Samoan, was driven over for the visitors' second try but Humphreys' conversions helped put daylight between the teams.

Saracens have never won in 31 visits to Welford Road but there was plenty to encourage the few supporters who braved the journey up the M1 yesterday, not least the performance of Andy Farrell at inside centre. He was efficient in everything he did and his forceful running and crisp passing kept Saracens in the game.

John Wells, England's forwards coach, was watching from the stands and it would be worth a punt to pick the former Great Britain rugby league captain in one of the two squads England will name today. Alan Gaffney, Saracens' director of rugby, said: "Andy is making giant strides. He's been very impressive lately." Certainly Farrell's performance made a mockery of Saracens' decision earlier in the season to play him in the back row.

Leicester G Murphy; A Tuilagi, Hipkiss (Rabeni, 48), Cornwell (Hipkiss, 58), Varndell; Humphreys (Goode, 70), Bemand (F Murphy, 45); Ayerza (Castrogiovanni, 61), Buckland, White (Moreno, 66), Cullen (capt), Kay, Abraham, Jennings (Croft, 77), Crane (Corry, 70).

Tries Tuilagi 2, Kay, penalty. Cons Humphreys 4.

Saracens Castaignède (De Vedia, 18); Vaikona, Penney, Farrell, Haughton; Taylor (Powell, 75), Dickens; Yates (capt), Cairns, Johnston, Fullarton, Ryder, Vyvyan (Lloyd, 64), Hill, Gustard.

Tries Yates, Johnston. Con Farrell. Pen Farrell.

Sin-bin Yates, 63.

Referee C White (Cheltenham).

Attendance 16,815.