FOXES SUFFERING BACK PROBLEMS
JAMIE VARDY has achieved just about everything during his remarkable Leicester career but not even the greatest player in the club’s history can solve their problems at the back.
When a striker is in form like this, the team can usually cash in. Yet Leicester are in such a muddle in defence that both Legia Warsaw in the Europa League on Thursday, and Crystal Palace on Sunday will fancy their chances — regardless of how well Vardy is playing.
The Foxes have kept only one clean sheet in their last 12 league matches and conceded nine shots to Sean Dyche’s team.
The absence of France Under 21 defender Wesley Fofana has hit Brendan Rodgers’ side hard.
As Leicester’s centre backs Caglar Soyuncu and Jannik Vestergaard were run ragged by Burnley forward Matej Vydra, Fofana was watching from the West Stand, patiently signing autographs and posing for selfies with supporters.
The Frenchman fractured a fibula and damaged ankle ligaments during a pre-season friendly against Villarreal and is many weeks away from a return.
Jonny Evans’ ongoing foot problems meant he was fit enough only for a spot on the bench, while James Justin is still fighting his way back after damaging knee ligaments in February.
Rodgers admitted not having Fofana or Evans makes a big difference. ‘If you look back we’ve been very strong structurally in our defending and not conceded too many shots,’ he said.
‘Over the course of the season that will improve. In order to attack well you need to defend well and we’re probably not as stable as we’d want to be.
‘I’ve not been particularly pleased with our defending and we don’t have a great deal of time to work on it as we’re playing, recovering and then playing again. The challenge is to get that stability back which will give us even more confidence in attack.’
Vardy’s own goal gave Burnley a first-half lead and, after he had equalised in the 37th minute, Maxwel Cornet struck a brilliant volley on his full League debut to restore the visitors’ advantage by half-time.
The impressive Cornet departed at the interval with a suspected hamstring injury and both sides created chances in the second half before Vardy struck his second with five minutes remaining.
Even then, Leicester were jittery and had VAR to thank for ruling out Chris Wood’s header for a narrow offside in the final minute of stoppage time.
Burnley have two points and are above only Saturday’s opponents Norwich in the table. ‘It is going to be massive,’ said midfielder Josh Brownhill.
LEICESTER (4-1-4-1): Schmeichel 5.5; Pereira 5 (Castagne 46min, 6), Soyuncu 5, Vestergaard 4.5, Bertrand 5; Ndidi 5.5; Lookman 7.5 (Maddison 78), Tielemans 6.5, Soumare 6.5 (Iheanacho 63, 6.5), Barnes 6.5; Vardy 8. Scorer: Vardy 37, 85. Booked: Vestergaard, Barnes. Manager: Brendan Rodgers 6. BURNLEY (4-4-2): Pope 6.5; Lowton 7, TARKOWSKI 8.5, Mee 8, Taylor 6.5; McNeil 7 (Lennon 87), Brownhill 7, Westwood 7, Cornet 7.5 (Gudmundsson 46, 6); Vydra 8 (Barnes 75, 6), Wood 6.5. Scorers: Vardy (og) 12, Cornet 40. Booked: Cornet, Westwood, Gudmundsson, Tarkowski. Manager: Sean Dyche 6.5. Referee: Chris Kavanagh 6. Attendance: 31,650.