Burnley 0-1 LeicesterJamie Vardy 60
Leicester City are in danger of turning into an unstoppable winning machine. The endless hard-luck stories of a weeks ago have been replaced by an unmistakable sense of belief and, as bizarre as it may sound, one of the greatest escapes in Premier League history could be completed with something to spare in Leicester carry on like this.
Nigel Pearson’s side did not deserve to beat Burnley. It was a grim match, error-strewn and low on quality, and Leicester did not play well. But they did beat Burnley and a fourth successive victory has lifted them out of the bottom three. Jamie Vardy was their hero, just as he was against West Bromwich Albion two weeks ago.
For Burnley, bottom of the table, this was a harrowing defeat. They fought until the end and it is a guarantee that they will not give up until survival is mathematically impossible. Yet they are bottom with four matches left and if they do go down, they will look back at Matt Taylor’s missed penalty when the game was goalless and wonder. Vardy scored the only goal of the game a minute later after Taylor’s miss.
Leicester looked dead and buried not that long ago, no matter how many times you could watch them sink to yet another unfortunate defeat and come away thinking that there were reasons to remain positive, if only they could turn positive performances into something more substantial. They were winning plaudits rather than points, each so-near-yet-so-far moment pushing them closer to the Premier League’s trapdoor.
The mood can change quickly. Leicester were in unfamiliar territory at the start of this match, in form, full of confidence and seeking their fourth successive victory. Beating Swansea City last weekend hauled them off the bottom for the first time in 104 days, although history is still against them; no team have survived after spending that long at the foot of the table before. Yet there is little a struggling side value more than momentum.
Burnley craved a taste of the stuff. Leicester’s unexpected revival had negative repercussions for them. Someone has to be bottom and, for the first time since November, Burnley were peering up at the rest of the division.
It is not hard to pinpoint the source of their problems. If Dyche told his players to run the London Marathon, they would sprint to the start line. Their effort can never be faulted. Yet their graft cannot disguise that this is a squad that has been put together on a shoestring budget. Ultimately class makes the difference at this level.
The goals have dried up for Danny Ings and Burnley’s deficiencies in attack were exacerbated by the absence of the suspended Ashley Barnes and the injured Sam Vokes. Ings was partnered by the willing but limited Lukas Jutkiewicz, who struggled to make an impression on Leicester’s three-man defence in the first half.
Burnley huffed and puffed but they were unsure of themselves when they reached the final third. Crosses were easily headed away, unconvincing shots were blocked and promising attacks fizzled out. Leicester’s goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, made one save before the break. Michael Duff won a header from a corner and Taylor tried to turn the ball in from close range but Schmeichel smothered his effort.
The first half was poor. Leicester started brightly and their bustling front two, Leandro Ulloa and Vardy, were responsible for a few heart-in-mouth moments in the Burnley defence in the opening 25 minutes. A crucial saving header from Jason Shackell denied Ulloa a certain goal and Vardy had Leicester’s best chance, only to turn and shoot straight at Tom Heaton.
Burnley were threatening from set-pieces. They pressed at the start of the second half and Kieran Trippier’s driven corner was thudded towards goal by Duff. The ball was heading into the top-left corner until Wes Morgan diverted it over the bar.
Then came a moment that could define Burnley’s season. Having defended with such assuredness in the first half, Leicester suddenly lost their shape. Space appeared in front of their defence for the first time and Jutkiewicz flicked a pass to Ings. The Leicester defenders were in thrall to his quick feet and slippery movement and, finally, Ings had a glimpse of goal. His fierce shot was saved by Schmeichel and the ball broke to the right side of the Leicester area, where Paul Konchesky brought Taylor down with a clumsy challenge. Anthony Taylor, the referee, took a few seconds to make up his mind and then he pointed to the spot.
The breakthrough beckoned. Up stepped Taylor. He struck the ball low and hard with his left foot, towards the right corner, and Schmeichel dived the wrong way. Briefly, agonisingly, the Burnley fans cheered; and then the ball hit the post and skidded wide.
As if missing a penalty was not bad enough, Leicester scored with their next attack. And as if that was not bad enough, it was a shambles. Marc Albrighton swung a dangerous cross into the six-yard box from the right and, although Heaton adjusted himself brilliantly to stop Duff scoring an own goal, the ball dropped to Vardy and it would have been an outstanding achievement if he had missed from a yard out.
When Schmeichel made a wonderful reaction save from Ben Mee’s deflected volley with 10 minutes to go, it was confirmation that it was not Burnley’s day.
Guardian
