VARDY TAKES THE HIGH GROUND
Leicester win on an emotional day as...
PERHAPS it was meant to be. On the day Leicester fans came to the King Power Stadium to honour their late owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, goals from Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans earned a win that had them dreaming of another season to remember — with a bit of help from VAR.
This was the home fixture closest in date to the first anniversary of the death of Vichai, who was killed in a helicopter crash outside the ground on October 27 last year. The club and its fans paid a fitting tribute to him and his legacy.
It would be a stretch to think that Leicester could repeat the 5,000-1 title-winning campaign of 2015-16, with which Vichai will always be associated, but days like these suggest that Brendan Rodgers’ team can challenge the elite.
To do so, you need resilience — which Leicester showed by fighting back after Chris Wood had given Burnley a 26th-minute lead. You also need a prolific centre-forward, like Vardy, who has six goals in nine games this season.
You also need luck. Burnley boss Sean Dyche was furious that VAR denied his side an equaliser when it was ruled that Wood had tripped Jonny Evans after the defender had put the ball into his own goal.
‘I find it incredible that after seeing it back so many times... you find it’s not a goal,’ said Dyche. ‘Chris does not change his running gait as his eyes were only on the ball. Jonny Evans is never going to get there in a million years [even if he doesn’t fall]. There was contact but it’s not deliberate. The players are incredibly frustrated. The officials have had a tough day.’
Rodgers, as might be expected, was a little more cautious on the decision that ensured his team prevailed. This result — briefly — sent them second in the table.
The Leicester boss admitted an emotional day had had an impact on his players, who gave a mixed performance, especially in the first half. Vardy’s equaliser at the end of that period, a brilliant header from Harvey Barnes’ cross, set the tone for their improvement.
‘With the goal, if you get it against you, then you’ll feel hard done-by. Some go for you, some against,’ said Rodgers. ‘We tried to prepare t h e p l a y e r s mental l y a s i t ’s approaching that time [the anniversary] and I’ve been involved in situations like these. Maybe with the sombre environment, sometimes the games are not to the level you’d want, which is natural.
‘I saw Khun Top [Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Vichai’s son and now chairman] before the game and we wanted this to be a celebration. Emotionally it was not easy.’
Burnley looked comfortable early on and went ahead when Dwight McNeil crossed for Wood to power the ball past Kasper Schmeichel.
Yet no team can relax when facing one of the top flight’s best goalscorers. Shortly after firing James Maddison’s through-ball into the side-netting, Vardy outjumped Ben Mee to head beyond Nick Pope. After being taunted by the visiting fans over the spat between his wife, Rebekah, and Coleen Rooney, he celebrated with typical swagger by running towards them and lifting his hands to his ears.
Wisely, he stopped at halfway, but the striker had made his point.
Leicester picked up the pace in the second half and scored the winner when substitute Demarai Gray crossed from the right and Barnes’ dummy allowed Tielemans to shoot home off the inside of the bar.
Then, the moment that infuriated Burnley, when Matthew Lowton robbed Tielemans and crossed for Wood. Schmeichel saved his effort, only for the ball to rebound off Evans and into the net.
Evans’ protests were upheld by the VAR, who ruled that Wood had tripped him as he tried to clear. A controversial call, but perhaps it was meant to be.