Outlook gets ever brighter for jovial Puel as Mahrez shines on a Gray day
CLAUDE PUEL could not resist it. Having been asked about the merits of Riyad Mahrez, Leicester’s head coach cracked a joke about the player’s new-look hairstyle.
‘If he shines any more like that, then it will be a good thing,’ was the verdict on Mahrez’s high-viz platinum head.
Luckily for the winger, as Puel also pointed out, his performance was just as colourful on what turned out to be a Demarai Gray day.
The conventional thinking of past Leicester managers is that Mahrez and Gray cannot play in the same team at the same time because they are both a tad short in the defensive department. Puel would disagree. ‘I am happy with Mahrez’s game today. It was good without the ball, good with the ball,’ he said.
‘I wanted to see Demarai because he has different feet, he can give good opportunity. It was interesting and encouraging to see him.’
Certainly the two combined to unlock Burnley for the one and only time of a thoroughly entertaining match. Mahrez’s cross from the right should have been gathered by Nick Pope.
One fumble later and Gray was on to it in a flash, bravely clattering into a post as he tapped in from close range.
At first it looked as if the winger, playing just off Jamie Vardy for this game, could be badly hurt but those fears turned out to be groundless. Putting this win into context, Burnley had only lost one previous game on their travels this season and they slipped from sixth to seventh after this defeat.
Sean Dyche this week drew comparison with the club of a few years ago, revealing how the sale of Charlie Austin paid the electricity bill at Turf Moor.
How apt then that his team of supposed lesser lights are currently illuminating the Premier League power grid in a similar way to Leicester in their title season.
The way they reacted to going behind was exactly what you would expect, with Kasper Schmeichel kept on his toes as he denied Johann Gudmundsson. The second half should have seen Leicester score again with Wilfred Ndidi becoming increasingly influential.
One quick header released Mahrez but Pope made up for his earlier error with a save.
Ndidi also put a perfect squared ball on a plate for Gray who could not take advantage while Wes Morgan’s tap-in was cleared off the line by Phil Bardsley.
‘It was tight,’ said Dyche. ‘I thought we were good in the
first half but it was a soft goal. We were caught flatfooted which is unlike us.
‘Nick has been excellent for us this season but our defenders were also staring at the moment instead of reacting and it’s rare for them to do that.
‘This was more like a basketball game.’
There was one unhappy moment for Burnley when Robbie Brady and Harry Maguire tangled in what looked like a totally non-malicious way.
They both needed treatment and Brady left the action on a stretcher — there are fears he has hurt his left knee badly.
It is hard to imagine the gloom of a few weeks ago at the King Power Stadium. The team have picked up 14 points from seven league games since Craig Shakespeare was sacked.
And ‘dour’ Puel is cracking jokes.
LEICESTER (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel 7; Simpson 7, Morgan 7, Maguire 7, Chilwell 6.5; Ndidi 8, Iborra 7; Mahrez 8.5, Gray 8 (Okazaki 87min), Albrighton; 7 Vardy 7. Subs (not used): Iheanacho, King, Hamer, Dragovic, Ulloa, Fuchs.
BURNLEY (4-4-1-1): Pope 6; Bardsley 7, Tarkowski 7, Mee 7.5, Ward 6.5; Gudmundsson 8, Cork 7, Defour 6 (Barnes 66, 5.5), Brady 6 (Arfield 30) 6.5; Hendrick 7; Wood 6.5 (Vokes 73, 5). Subs (not used): Taylor, Westwood, Lindegaard, Long. Booked: Bardsley, Mee.
Referee: P Tierney (Lancashire) 7.