Leicester City pay emotional tribute to late owner with victory over Burnley
They came to remember ‘The Boss’, the man who helped make the impossible possible. It is nearly 12 months since the tragic passing of Leicester’s beloved owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha but by the end here, the home support were chanting about European tours.
Building on Khun Vichai’s legacy was always the intention, and Youri Tielemans’s winning goal will only have enhanced the sense that something is stirring under Brendan Rodgers.
On an emotional afternoon at the King Power Stadium, Leicester continue to progress on an upward curve and even benefited from another Video Assistant Referee controversy as a late Burnley goal was ruled out to leave Sean Dyche furious.
Chris Wood was convinced he had added a second goal, after Tielemans’s excellent strike, but the equaliser was disallowed due to an alleged foul on Jonny Evans.
It ensured another home victory for Rodgers, cementing the club's place in the top-four, and provided a fitting tribute in front of Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, who is now the club’s chairman.
It was Burnley who were the visitors here nearly a year ago when Leicester paid their first respects at a game to Khun Vichai and the four others who lost their lives in a helicopter crash outside the stadium.
Burnley were typically honest and respectful opponents and made the surprise breakthrough in the 26th minute, capitalising on a laboured and sloppy start from Leicester.
Dwight McNeil’s cross from the right was inviting and Wood, a former Leicester forward, rose above Evans to head the ball into the top corner.
It was the wake-up call Leicester desperately needed. Tielemans had tested Nick Pope from distance before Jamie Vardy then collected his 11th goal in 11 home league games a minute before half-time.
Harvey Barnes was given space in the box to swing in a delicious cross and it was another textbook header, Vardy climbing high to power the ball past Pope.
After being subjected to a few Burnley chants in reference to the public row between his wife Rebekah and Wayne Rooney’s wife Coleen, it was perhaps no surprise that Vardy ran towards the visiting supporters with his hands to his ears.
It remained an incredibly tight game in the second half, with Burnley’s defence so compact that Leicester found it difficult to carve out chances.
Burnley finally wavered 14 minutes from time and Tielemans capitalised on the huge space to crash the ball in off the crossbar.
There was still time for another dose of VAR debate, with Wood adjudged to have fouled Evans before the ball squirmed over the goalline. But this was all about Vichai, the man who will always be in their hearts.
