Leicester City come from behind to subdue Burnley 4-2

Leicester came from behind to beat Burnley 4-2 in another high-scoring Premier League clash as Brendan Rodgers’ side start season with back-to-back victories.

The last time Leicester produced back-to-back wins at the beginning of a Premier League season, they ended it as champions.

Thanks to seven goals in their opening matches, the Foxes are back at the top of the tree again and while even the most optimistic Leicester fan would doubt their ability to repeat the fabulous story of 2015-16, this was just the start Brendan Rodgers’ team needed after their poor post-lockdown form cost them a place in the Champions League.

It was a double celebration for Rodgers, who registered his 100th win as a Premier League manager.

Harvey Barnes delivered an outstanding display, scoring the equaliser and terrifying Burnley throughout. Chris Wood gave the injury-hit visitors a 10th-minute lead but after Barnes levelled, an own-goal from Erik Pieters and James Justin’s strike put Leicester in charge just after an hour.

Jimmy Dunne pulled one back for Burnley on his top-flight debut but Dennis Praet’s sumptuous strike 11 minutes time settled it once and for all.

Leicester will need to defend better than they did here to keep out Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and Manchester City in the league next Sunday. Wood could have had a hat-trick for Burnley: as well as his goal, the forward hit the post and shot straight at Kasper Schmeichel from close range.

Despite missing key players Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Jack Cork and Ashley Barnes, Burnley took the lead the 10th minute.

Dwight McNeil found Charlie Taylor on the left and when the cross reached Wood at the far post, he outmuscled Justin and slammed the ball beyond Schmeichel.

Leicester were convinced the forward was guilty of handling but after a VAR check, the ball was deemed to have hit Wood high enough on his arm for the goal to be legal. The Foxes rolled with the punch and levelled 10 minutes later.

Barnes swept a crossfield pass beyond the Burnley backline and into Jamie Vardy’s path. The forward found Timothy Castagne, who squared for Barnes to stroke the ball into the corner from 15 yards.

Barnes then drew a fine save from Nick Pope with an angled effort tin the 33rd minute, and six minutes later Phil Bardsley produced a goal-saving challenge as Barnes tore towards the far post to meet Praet’s low cross.

Sean Dyche’s men suffered another injury blow soon afterward when, following an earlier challenge from Justin, Robbie Brady was unable to continue and was replaced by Pieters.

Pieters might have wished he had stayed on the bench. Five minutes into the second half, after Youri Tielemans had found Castagne on the right, Pieters moved over to block the cross only for the ball to hit his heel and fly past the helpless Nick Pope at the near post.

Barnes continued to cause problems for Burnley and another charge into the box brought a corner, yet Leicester were lucky to stay ahead just before the hour mark when Wood shot weakly at Schmeichel after Jay Rodriguez teed him up 10 yards out.

Moments later, Burnley paid the ultimate price. Praet burst away down the right and found Perez inside the box. The Spaniard rolled the ball to the far post where Justin tapped it in for his first Premier League goal.

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But Leicester switched off again at the back when McNeil swung over a free-kick and Dunne barged his way through the crowd to head it past Schmeichel.

The home side quickly restored their two-goal, however, with another goal of high quality. Barnes escaped yet again on the left and squared the ball for Praet, who used Castagne’s run outside him as a decoy before lashing the ball beyond Pope at his near post from 20 yards. There was still time for Wood to hit the post with Schmeichel beaten but Leicester’s slick attacking football merited the victory.