Burnley 1, Leicester City 2: Clarets succumb to fourth consecutive Premier League defeat

Four years ago Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy scored the goal that effectively consigned the Clarets to a return to the Championship.
Dwight McNeil scored his second goal of the season to give the Clarets hopeDwight McNeil scored his second goal of the season to give the Clarets hope
Dwight McNeil scored his second goal of the season to give the Clarets hope

The former Fleetwood Town forward's winner on the hour was a major turning point in Burnley's battle for survival in the Premier League that turn as, just seconds earlier, Matt Taylor had missed from the penalty spot.

Moments like that can be crucial and the Foxes were at it again after leaving Turf Moor with all three points in a smash and grab victory, leaving the Clarets precariously close to the relegation zone.

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Harry Maguire's red card after just three minutes and 11 seconds, the fastest dismissal in the Premier League since Gareth McAuley's against Manchester City four years ago, handed Burnley the early advantage.

The England international left referee Michael Oliver with no other option when clipping the heels of Johann Berg Gudmundsson as the Icelandic winger raced clear from Jack Cork's pass.

The resulting free-kick, taken by Gudmundsson, flicked up off the top of the crossbar after the ball took a nick off Jamie Vardy on its way through.

Brendan Rodgers instantly opted to sacrifice one of his attacking options in Demarai Gray and introduced Wes Morgan to play alongside Jonny Evans at the heart of the Foxes defence.

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The change, however, didn't dilute Leicester City's threat going forward and, just after Harvey Barnes had fired across the face of goal, they took the lead.

James Maddison gave James Tarkowski the run around before drawing the foul on the edge of the penalty area and the former Norwich City midfielder picked himself up to whip the resulting set-piece past Tom Heaton at his near post.

The Clarets were struggling to make their extra man count and Jamie Vardy almost made matters even worse for them when testing Heaton with a right-footed strike having turned Tarkowski inside the box.

The visitors were giving as good as they got, despite their numerical disadvantage, but they were pegged back with seven minutes of the first half remaining from Burnley's first shot on target.

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Play was switched from right to left, resulting in Charlie Taylor pulling the ball back for Dwight McNeil, and the teenager capped his first call up for the England Under 20s with his second goal in the Premier League.

The 19-year-old couldn't have hit the ball any truer when connecting first time with the pass, shooting across Kasper Schmeichel and in to the far corner.

That equaliser spurred the Clarets in to life and they evolved in to a different animal altogether in the second half.

Jack Cork almost put the home side in front with an effort very similar to the one that won the Europa League tie against Istanbul Basaksehir at Turf Moor.

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This time it was Ashley Barnes that rolled the ball back but, on this occasion, the midfielder's side-footed attempt wasn't quite as accurate.

Ashley Westwood, who scored his first goal in close to three years against Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, then fired in to the side-netting once Youri Tielemans headed McNeil's delivery clear.

After Wood's blushes were spared by the linesman's flag, as the New Zealander flicked McNeil's cross over from close range, Oliver engineered one of the major talking points of the game.

There was clear contact on the ankle of Taylor from Wilfred Ndidi when the left back went past the Nigerian on the outside before falling inside the box. Oliver waved play on, leaving Sean Dyche venting his anger on the sidelines.

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The Clarets had another penalty shout ignored moments later when substitute Peter Crouch's header struck the arm of Morgan, which was raised in an unnatural position, but nothing was given.

McNeil steered Cork's cross over from the penalty spot as Burnley looked to snatch a vital three points in their fight for survival and the winger grazed the woodwork with a superb strike after drifting in past Ben Chilwell from the left hand side.

However, City would give Cardiff City's hopes of staying up a shot in the arm when grabbing a winner against the run of play in the 90th minute.

Tielemans supplied the cross after the hosts had needlessly conceded a corner and Morgan got above Tarkowski to head in to the corner.

The Clarets still had an opportunity to take a point when Crouch and Barnes combined to tee up Matej Vydra but Schmeichel spread himself well to block the Czech Republic international's shot.