Leicester City 1 Burnley 1 match report: Missed chances deepen Foxes’ promotion slump

Leicester have secured just one point from their last three matches heading into the most important week of their season

Level best: Danny Ings’ equaliser for Burnley was his 16th goal this season (GETTY IMAGES)

Leicester City enter the biggest week of their season suffering a worrying loss of momentum since climbing to the summit of the Championship two weeks ago.

Nigel Pearson’s team have managed only a point from their last three matches, which is hardly the form they would want with Manchester City due at the King Power Stadium in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Queen’s Park Rangers in another top-of-the-table clash next Saturday.

Had they taken their chances yesterday, Leicester might have inflicted only a second League defeat in 16 matches on Burnley, who began the weekend leading QPR on goal difference at the head of the table.

But they might equally have succumbed to a third consecutive defeat had Burnley striker Sam Vokes not missed a gifted opportunity to put his side in front early in the second half.

Vokes found himself with only Kasper Schmeichel to beat after intercepting a stray back-pass by Leicester right-back Richie De Laet, but was denied by the former Manchester City goalkeeper.

Pearson sees no cause for concern yet, even if some fans might fear a repeat of last season, when Leicester also looked a sound bet for promotion only to fade.

“It is a game we should have won and illustrated the fact that you need to score when you are on top,” said the Leicester manager. “But it is not as if we are not creating chances and Burnley are a good side with lots of resilience.”

His team were ahead after 14 minutes when David Nugent converted his seventh penalty from eight attempts this season after left-back Ben Mee was judged to have brought down Jamie Vardy.

With Matty James and Danny Drinkwater controlling midfield, Leicester were worth at least their goal advantage at half-time. Had Vardy not dragged his shot wide after some excellent interplay between Nugent and James, it would have been double that. In addition, Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton made saves from Nugent and the ever-lively Anthony Knockaert.

Those were misses Leicester would regret in a second half in which openings appeared much less readily, although Vardy went close with a stooping header from a Lloyd Dyer cross and Heaton was forced into action again by Knockaert in stoppage time.

Burnley drew level when Leicester were caught cold at the start of the second half, failing to cut out a Kieran Trippier cross which Danny Ings converted for his 16th goal of the season.

Line-ups:

Leicester City (4-4-2): Schmeichel; De Laet (Wasilewski, 69), Morgan, Moore, Konchesky; Knockaert, James, Drinkwater, Dyer; Vardy (Schlupp, 82), Nugent (Taylor-Fletcher, 69).

Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton; Trippier, Duff, Shackell, Mee; Arfield, Marney, Jones, Kightly (Treacy, 71); Ings, Voges.

Referee: Andy D’Urso.