Leicester 2-2 Burnley: Vardy scores twice after glancing a header into his own net to rescue Foxes

James Vardy rescued Leicester from a third consecutive Premier League defeat – with a little help from Jonathan Moss at Stockley Park.

Foxes fans are used to Vardy being their hero and after his early own-goal and Maxwel Cornet’s brilliant strike, he twice equalised to earn Leicester a point their chaotic defensive display barely deserved. 

Yet Burnley thought they had won it in the final minute of stoppage time when Chris Wood headed past Kasper Schmeichel, only for VAR to spot a narrow offside and rule out the goal.

Jamie Vardy scored twice - as well as an own goal - as Leicester denied Burnley

Jamie Vardy scored twice – as well as an own goal – as Leicester denied Burnley

The Leicester striker rounded Clarets goalkeeper Nick Pope to secure a point

The Leicester striker rounded Clarets goalkeeper Nick Pope to secure a point

MATCH FACTS

LEICESTER CITY (4-1-4-1): Schmeichel 6; Pereira 5.5 (Castagne 46, 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), H Barnes 6.5; Vardy 8.

Booked: Vestergaard, Barnes

Subs (not used): Ward, Evans, Albrighton, Perez, Dewsbury-Hall, Daka.

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 45+2, 6); Vydra 8 (A Barnes 75), Wood 6.5.

Booked: Cornet, Westwood, Gudmundsson, Tarkowski

Subs (not used): Hennessey, Cork, Collins, Pieters, Bardsley, Thomas.

Referee: C Kavanagh (Lancashire) 6

Brendan Rodgers may feel his team deserved a little good fortune after suffering some bad luck in recent matches yet he will know this was not good enough, particularly at the back.

It is barely four months since Rodgers lifted the FA Cup but the home fans still booed their manager when he took off the lively Ademola Lookman with 12 minutes remaining, and Leicester 2-1 down. Rodgers will point to Vardy’s 85th-minute strike to show he got his changes right.

After Vardy headed into his own net in the 12th minute, Burnley fans taunted his family and Vardy made sure he got his own back with provocative celebrations after both goals. 

Burnley boss Sean Dyche complained about ‘a clear foul’ on substitute Johann Gudmundsson in the build-up to Vardy’s second. 

‘[The taunts] only happen to top players,’ said Rodgers. ‘When you score goals regularly it will always invite stick but it’s water off a duck’s back for Jamie. He’s always out to prove a point in every game.’

Rodgers expressed concern about his side’s work at the back after collecting only seven points from their opening six games.

‘We are frustrated with the result,’ said Rodgers. ‘We were much better going forward. We were more creative and scored two excellent goals but Burnley defend the box so well and made some great blocks and tackles. 

Summer signing Maxwel Cornet scored his first goal for the club at the King Power Stadium

Summer signing Maxwel Cornet scored his first goal for the club at the King Power Stadium

Maxwel Cornet put the visitors ahead with a stunning volley in the 40th minute on Saturday

Maxwel Cornet put the visitors ahead with a stunning volley in the 40th minute on Saturday

‘I’m more worried about our defending as we can be much better. But overall we created enough chances and a point was deserved in the end.’

The result leaves Burnley still looking for their first win of the campaign yet boss Sean Dyche will take heart from this showing, with James Tarkowski and Ben Mee magnificent in central defence and Matt Lowton making two goal-saving blocks. 

In the first half, Leicester were run ragged by Matej Vydra and Cornet, until the latter sustained a suspected hamstring injury on the stroke of half-time.

‘We created chances and looked a threat but we have to turn our good performances into wins,’ said Dyche. 

‘We are doing a lot of the right things but the margins are always tight in the Premier League. We have to get on the right side of those margins and I believe we can.’

Burnley winger Cornet was forced off a few minutes after scoring by a leg injury

Burnley winger Cornet was forced off a few minutes after scoring by a leg injury

Rodgers gave a first Premier League start to summer signing Lookman, dropping James Maddison to the bench, and he was lively early on. 

The winger produced a fine run down the right and pulled the ball into the danger zone, where Lowton did superbly to block Harvey Barnes’ goalbound effort.

Yet Leicester have kept only one clean sheet in their last 12 league games and their defensive fragility was exposed again here. 

In the 11th minute, Vardy tried to head Ashley Westwood’s corner away at the near post but instead glanced it past Kasper Schmeichel.

Vardy looked certain to equalise 15 minutes later only for Lowton to excel again with a remarkable challenge that stopped Leicester’s No9 turning in Ricardo Pereira’s cross from inside the six-yard box.

Leicester striker Jamie Vardy glanced a header into his own net in the 12th minute

Leicester striker Jamie Vardy glanced a header into his own net in the 12th minute

Though Leicester looked anxious and were lacking rhythm, they will always have a chance with Vardy in the team. 

Referee Chris Kavanagh played advantage after Lowton flattened Barnes and Tielemans’ pass found Vardy’s angled run, allowing the forward to shoot low across Nick Pope and into the corner.

Burnley supporters had aimed jibes and Vardy and his family earlier in the half and after scoring Vardy raced towards them, gesturing and shouting angrily. 

The goal should have relaxed Leicester but five minutes before half-time, they were behind again. Vydra outwitted Jannik Vestergaard before lifting the ball to the far post where Cornet showed outstanding technique to volley past Schmeichel.

 The Ivory Coast international should have made it 3-1 moments later only to fluff his volley this time.

Vardy redeemed himself for the own goal by firing home an equaliser in the 37th minute

Vardy redeemed himself for the own goal by firing home an equaliser in the 37th minute

Sadly for Burnley, that was Cornet’s final contribution as he was injured and replaced by Johann Gudmundsson, though Leicester were convinced Burnley were time-wasting.

Both sides could have scored at the start of the second half. More poor play at the back from Leicester let in Chris Wood, who prodded wide. 

Then at the other end Vardy was just off target with an angled effort.

To the surprise of the home crowd, Rodgers substituted Lookman – a decision greeted by boos – and sent on Maddison. 

But the move paid off as Vardy collected substitute Kelechi Iheanacho’s through ball before rounding Pope and equalising. More dreadful defending in stoppage time saw another sub, Ashley Barnes, flick on for Wood to nod past Schmeichel – but VAR saved Leicester.

Vardy atoned for his error as he raced on to Youri Tielemans' pass and found the bottom corner

Vardy atoned for his error as he raced on to Youri Tielemans’ pass and found the bottom corner

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