Leicester City vs Burnley: £30m Islam Slimani injects Foxes with something they didn't know they needed

Such was the joy at Leicester’s fairytale title triumph last season, any deficiencies in Claudio Ranieri’s squad were understandably overlooked

Islam Slimani provides Leicester with a threat in the air (Getty)

If Leicester fans believed last season was as good as their team would get, Islam Slimani seems ready to test the theory.

The £30m record signing announced himself on the Premier League with two goals on his debut and appeared to provide an added ingredient that supporters had perhaps not known was missing.

Such was the joy at Leicester’s fairytale title triumph last season, any deficiencies in Claudio Ranieri’s squad were understandably overlooked.

But Slimani’s two headed goals in the comfortable defeat of Burnley reminded the King Power Stadium of a weapon that had been lacking.

A shortage of aggressive aerial threat did not damage their hopes last term, but adding it in the form of Slimani was clearly a priority for Ranieri, who paid a club record fee to bring the 28-year-old from Sporting Lisbon.

His goals on Saturday were his eighth and ninth with his head in league action in 2016, including seven in Portugal, while his total of 11 for Sporting last season was equal to Leicester’s whole squad in their title-winning campaign.

“I signed him because we needed another player,” said Ranieri.

Claudio Ranieri makes his point on the side-lines at the King Power (Getty)

“Leonardo Ulloa is another big striker, good in the air, who press well and link well, but for this reason we spent a lot of money on Slimani and of course he is a goalscorer.

“But he is not only a goal scorer. Also when he doesn’t score it is OK because he is a hard worker.

“Of course it is important to show his characteristics and he made a very good performance.

“It is important that he scored but I do not want to put him under pressure because it is not important for me.”

“It was a great start and I was very impressed by him against Brugge (in the Champions League),” added Wes Morgan, the Leicester captain.

“He is a presence up there and works hard for the team. I am glad to see him get his two goals.”

Slimani added: "I was delighted to score two goals in front of my new fans for the first time.

Islam Slimani rose highest to open the scoring for Leicester (Getty Images)

"It was fantastic. It was like a dream."

For Leicester, whose win was sealed with a Ben Mee own-goal, the win completed an impressive response to a 4-1 defeat at Liverpool a week earlier and offered evidence they can combine Champions League and Premier League commitments successfully.

Their 3-0 win against the Clarets followed victory by the same scoreline at Club Brugge, and ensured a calendar year unbeaten at home in the Premier League.

“It is unbelievable,” said Morgan. “To play that sort of high level and compete against so many great teams and to go a calendar year without being beaten at home is congratulations to everyone involved with Leicester City.

“With the fans behind us we always put on a great performance. It is hard to put it down to anything, the lads are full of confidence at home and results have been better at home.”

“I am an Italian man so I love it when we keep our home very safe,” added Ranieri.

“With a clean sheet it was also good. The first clean sheet was in Bruges, the second and first in the Premier League was on Saturday.

“It was a very, very good performance, I am happy.”