City top the table – report
POLE POSITION IS REWARD FOR VICTORY IN SIX-GOAL THRILLER
LEICESTER City sit atop the Premier League table after a barnstorming first home game of the new season ended in victory.
An empty King Power Stadium played host to a thrilling encounter, City producing some mouthwatering football on their way to four goals, but also showing a vulnerability in their depleted defence to concede two to visitors Burnley.
Not since the title-winning season have City been top of the Premier League, while it is also the first time since the 2015-16 campaign that they have claimed victory in their opening two fixtures.
They did so in scintillating style, despite falling behind to a Chris Wood goal, the former City striker barging his way past James Justin to finish.
But City hit back, the electric Harvey Barnes opening his account for the season after a neat move involving Jamie Vardy and Timothy Castagne, the latter playing a huge part in the second as his cross deflected in off the unfortunate Erik Pieters.
More neat football saw Justin net for the first time in the Premier League before Burnley’s Jimmy Dunne beat the full-back in the air to tighten things up.
The best was saved until last as Dennis Praet rifled in a City fourth, securing the three points that sees Brendan Rodgers’ side become the very early leaders.
Much like City last week, Burnley were coming into the season amid an injury nightmare. And like City, it was most notable in the centre of defence, where the Clarets were fielding Kevin Long and 22-year-old debutant Dunne, with Ben Mee and one-time City target James Tarkowski unavailable.
But they still had the big hitters leading the line, and it was former City striker Wood who opened the scoring in controversial fashion.
Charlie Taylor swung a cross deep and Wood, clever as he is, had pulled off to the back post, knowing he had a greater chance of winning the physical battle against James Justin than against Caglar Soyuncu.
The New Zealander brought the ball down on his chest, it bobbled off Justin’s head and then Wood’s arm, before he slammed the ball into the bottom corner.
City players turned to referee Lee Mason, all pointing at their arms. It was checked by VAR, but the goal stood. It is all thanks to a law change. While it is still the case that any handball, accidental or not, in the build-up to a goal is penalised, what constitutes handball has changed.
This season, there is the T-shirt line, where if the ball hits the sleeve, it counts as the shoulder.
So Wood got away with it, and he possibly got away with a shove on Justin, too, although there will be arguments the full-back could have been stronger.
What Burnley did not get away
The electric Harvey Barnes opened his scoring account after a neat move involving Vardy and Castagne
with was the game, and City equalised 10 minutes later.
Barnes could have had a hattrick at West Brom, but kept hitting the ball straight at the goalkeeper.
His finishing has often been the aspect of his game that has let him down, but Rodgers said in midweek it would eventually click for the homegrown star.
It did here, and he created the goal, too, with a delightful long pass between the defenders to send Jamie Vardy away.
After holding off two Burnley men, Vardy had the awareness to hold the ball up, waiting for reinforcements, rather than going for goal on the angle.
He laid the ball back to Timothy Castagne, who, on his home debut, squared the ball to Barnes to sweep home.
Burnley had their own complaints at Ayoze Perez possibly running across Nick Pope’s eyeline from an offside position. Nothing was given.
From there, City were on top for the rest of the half. Barnes drove at the Burnley defence whenever he could and nearly found the corner of the net again, his low strike saved well by Pope.
Caglar Soyuncu also went close with a header just wide, while Tielemans hit an effort down the England goalkeeper’s throat.
The second half was a blitz of chances from start to finish. Rodgers’ side played some scintillating football at times and no player epitomises that more than Tielemans.
The Belgian threaded the eye of a needle with a pass to countryman Castagne, whose cross deflected off Pieters past a despairing Pope and over the line.
Chances came Burnley’s way, too, the visitors dragging City’s defence out of position to set up Wood, who weakly shot straight at Schmeichel. He perhaps should have done better.
Moments later, Castagne, who was up and down the right flank all match, cut the ball back to Praet, who turned his first-time shot over. More sublime intricate football led to third, and a first in the Premier League for Justin.
Praet shimmied his man on the right, and then found Ayoze Perez in the area where he excels. The Spaniard’s neat footwork saw him find room to cross, and Justin barrelled in at the back post to tap into the corner.
Then came Burnley’s spell of pressure.
They knew they could create chances from crosses, so the ball kept coming in. Jay Rodriguez met one cross with a flying volley, Soyuncu just getting a touch to block.
Then, Dunne, the debutant, beat Justin in the air from a freekick, heading down into the ground and past Schmeichel.
It could have triggered a hairy final 20 minutes for City, but for Praet’s stunner.
Barnes cut in from the flank and played across to Praet. He used the run of Castagne beside him as a dummy, then pinged a strike to the top corner from 20 yards.
That should have sealed the points, but City did not see out the game comfortably, with Wood hitting the post late on after Burnley got the better of an increasingly disorganised back-line.
If there is an area to work on, it is at the back, because going forward, City have found their mojo again.