Leicester City 1 v 0 Burnley (Premier League)
Burnley arrived at the King Power Stadium unchanged from their midweek win on the south coast at Bournemouth, as they chase their fourth win in six Premier League games.
The home side took the lead with the first move of the match as Riyad Mahrez puts in an excellent cross, which Nick Pope could only push the ball into the path of Demarai Gray who running at pace, slots the ball passed Nick Pope, before smashes into the post which left him down for a few minutes.
The goal seemed to bring the visitors to life and on eleven minutes the Clarets got the first corner of the match which was aimed at Ben Mee. Kasper Schmeichel came running out to catch but he sort of flapped at the ball and then fell down and the ball went over everyone in the area and out for a goal kick.
On fourteen minutes, Jeff Hendrick beats everyone on the right-wing before putting a low cross into the box, some sloppy Leicester defending let in Chris Wood but Kasper Schmeichel does enough to prevent him from scoring.
Just two minutes later, the Clarets went close again from another corner as James Tarkowski but is header from the edge of the six yard box went just wide of the post.
Johann Gudmundsson was next to test the Leicester goalkeeper, when he collected the ball just outside the area before taking a shot at goal which Schmeichel pushed away to safety.
On twenty-nine minutes, Robbie Brady tried to dance through the Leicester defence but Harry Maguire puts in a superb clearance, however Brady followed through with a nasty challenge and came off worse, Brady was stretchered off and went straight to hospital.
The game really slowed down after Brady’s injury, however Chris Wood made a run in behind but he was flagged offside as the striker went one on one with Schmeichle.
On forty-three minutes, Riyad Mahrez drives through the middle and he’s given far too much space by the Burnley defence, Mahrez had an excellent strike at goal but it went straight at Nick Pope to leave the half-time score 1-0.
Leicester City started the stronger of the two sides and had their first attack after just four minutes, when Riyad Mahrez had options left and right but made the decision to drive through the middle, only to see James Tarkowski block his effort.
Marc Albrighton goes free in the box and drags the ball back to Gray. It’s lovely link-up play but Phil Bardsley slides in and produces an excellent tackle. Then on fifty-seven minutes, Albrighton gets away on the left and Bardsley slides in, taking his legs out. The free-kick is then whipped into the box but it’s palmed away for a corner by keeper Pope.
On the hour mark, Jamie Vardy lashed at the ball in the box but doesn’t connect properly, which confused the Burnley defenders and the ball fell to Wes Morgan five yards out, but as he went to poke it home Clarets keeper Nick Pope got a hand to it and Burnley cleared the ball.
On seventy minutes, Marc Albrighton makes another darting run into the Clarets box, then creates a yard of space for himself and smashes a shot towards the near post, which Nick Pope saved.
In the final ten minutes, Jamie Vardy who is hoping to create history by scoring his 50th Premier League goal for Leicester City, tries to flick the ball past Nick Pope but the Clarets keeper reacts well.
Mahrez is looking to add a second in the final minute of injury time his strike is on target but Nick Pope gets down well to make the block before Mahrez then whips it wide, to leave the full time score 1-0.
Speaking after the match manager Sean Dyche said, “They’re in good form and it was a poor goal from our point of view. In the second half it’s a bit more like a basketball match and they defend and counter.
At the end we have a chance to nick one with Ashley Barnes but we din’t get the rub of the green. We like the fact we are keeping games tight that’s an important theme for me. I’ve said to the players that we are progressing.
Robbie Brady has been taken to hospital and we are waiting on news, but we think it’s more serious than not serious. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Match Details
Leicester City – Schmeichle, Simpson, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell, Mahrez, Ndidi, Iborra, Albringhton, Gray, Vardy (Subs) Iheanacho, King, Hamer, Dragovic, Okazaki, Ulloa Fuchs
Burnley – Pope, Bardsley, Mee, Tarkowski, Ward, Cork, Brady, Gudmundsson, Defour, Hendrick, Wood (Subs) Lindegaard, Taylor, Vokes, Barnes, Westwood, Arfield, Long
Goals – (Leicester City) Gray (6)
Attendance – 30, 714
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