Burnley 2-1 Leicester City: Burnley Edge Closer to European Football With Narrow Foxes Win

Burnley got a step closer to securing European football next season with an impressive 2-1 win against Leicester City. 

Wood put the hosts 1-0 up early on when he raced onto a Barnes through ball. It was 2-0 minutes later when Long headed home Gudmundsson's corner.

Leicester fought back and halved the deficit with 18 minutes left when Vardy beat Pope from close range. The Foxes piled on the pressure late on, but Burnley held on for three massive points.

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Burnley had the better of the early exchanges, and they took the lead within five minutes. Wes Morgan gave the ball away to Ashley Barnes who put Chris Wood through on goal and the 26-year-old scored at the second attempt after his first shot was saved by Kasper Schmeichel.

It got even better for Sean Dyche's side as three minutes later they doubled their lead. Kevin Long met Gudmundsson's corner to put Burnley 2-0 up, and Leicester looked stunned. 

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The hosts kept piling on the pressure, and they should've made it 3-0. Lowton's superb cross almost found Wood, but Simpson just about intervened in time.

However, Leicester had a chance to half the deficit. Chilwell's cross found Vardy, but his tame header went past the post.

Leicester had an even better chance 10 minutes before half-time. Riyad Mahrez got on the end of a clever Demarai Gray cross, but the former's header was kept out expertly by Nick Pope.

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Burnley started to sit back and invite pressure. However, the Foxes weren't clinical enough and missed another chance to get back into the game. Vardy found himself with a free header, but once again Pope kept him out with ease.

The last chance of the half fell to the visitors. Mahrez's well hit free kick just went wide of the post, and Burnley went into the half-time interval 2-0 up.

Burnley had the first chance of the second half. Gudmundsson's audacious strike went over the bar as Burnley looked to kill the game off. 

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Just after the hour mark, Pope was forced to make another great save. Vardy was once again denied by the young keeper as he got down low to keep out his close-range effort.

The hosts then had two penalty appeals turned down within seconds. Burnley players thought Chilwell handled the ball in the area, and then Iheanacho went in hard on Lennon, but both appeals were turned down by referee Martin Atkinson.

Minutes later Leicester pulled one back courtesy of Vardy. Iheanacho sent through Vardy who finally got the better of Pope to set up a nervy 18 minutes for Burnley.

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It could've easily been 2-2 soon after. Diabate's cross looked destined for Vardy who would've been able to score a tap in but Long just about did enough to divert the ball away from the striker. 

To add to Leicester's problems Schmeical was forced off with an injury following a collision with Barnes.

In the end, Burnley held on for what could prove to be a massive three points come the end of the season.