Burnley 1 Leicester 0: Sub Sam Vokes fires controversial Clarets winner to plunge the champs just two points off the drop zone

SAM VOKES made it seven in a row for Burnley — and made sure that Leicester did not get away with it.

Even if Jamie Vardy somehow did.

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Vokes slammed a shot high into the net from just a yard four minutes from time to clinch the win for Sean Dyche’s side — and make it a magnificent seven in a row at home.

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Not so magnificent, however, was Vardy.

For the England striker can count himself dead lucky that referee Mike Dean decided to turn a blind eye to what appeared to be a dive midway through the second half.

And not so magnificent were the Foxes.

Their boss Claudio Ranieri will have wanted only to look away as his champions once again played like chumps.

The Italian was not a happy man throughout this rain-soaked clash that should have ended up in a dousing by the Clarets.

By the end he looked plain miserable — and the worry that last season’s superheroes could actually go down a year on is taking nightmare shape.

Meanwhile, Dyche’s players were not happy at all with Vardy, who flopped down under a challenge by Tom Heaton.

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He ran across the England goalkeeper chasing a misplaced pass and, as the Clarets man came out to challenge, went down like he was made of papier mache.

Wilfred Ndidi did a lot in the first half to suggest that he may yet live up to his billing as the new N’Golo Kante.

Aged just 20, the youngster might have a bit to go before he gets up to Kante’s brilliant level.

But the £15million buy from Genk as the transfer window opened certainly covered plenty of ground and made half-a-dozen timely interceptions.

And he had to, for Dyche’s men, going for a seventh straight win at Turf Moor, were very much in the Foxes’ faces.

The Clarets, despite their fine home record, have often relied on counter-attack to get themselves over the line.

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Yet as the rain poured down, Ashley Barnes and Andre Gray were a constant menace, working hard to get on to through-balls from Jeff Hendrick and George Boyd while Joey Barton kept guard behind them.

Twice before the break Barnes let rip with efforts that flew just wide and Gray should have done better with a shot he lifted over.

Ranieri, dripping on the touchline under his woolly hat, did not enjoy what he was watching one little bit. The Italian looked agitated and angry.

His side had gone 13 away games without a win — their worst league run since 2005.

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In the 51st minute he was waving his arms in fury as another 50-50 ball went in the opposition’s favour.

This one to Andre Gray, who played a one-two with Barnes and produced a superb low right-footer.

Kasper Schmeichel reacted in kind.

Opposite number Heaton was then forced into his first real work of the night against languid Leicester, although at first he hardly reacted at all.

Heaton made a real mess of holding on to a long shot from Riyad Mahrez that should have been easy meat for a goalkeeper who leads the Prem stats on shot stopping.

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The ball spilled from his grasp but as Vardy jetted in for the loose ball he bravely dived to divert the striker’s effort.

Then came his second clash with the England frontman and one that left him laughing out loud as his team-mates made their feelings very clear.

Vardy had the decency to look a little shame-faced.

Or maybe his expression was more about relief given that referee Dean did not pull out a yellow for what looked very suspiciously like simulation.

Yet until sub Vokes, who had replaced Ashley Barnes on 79 minutes, stuck his boot through the ball, it did seem like Leicester would survive.

Dyche’s side made a series of chances and blew them all.

In the end, however, justice was done. At least in one sense.

Fact, stats, goals and lols

• JAMIE VARDY not for the first time found himself accused of diving as he went down under a 63^rd minute challenge from Tom Heaton – and got up looking a tad sheepish.
• THEY only win when they’re winning : the champions may be shot, but they went up against Burnley as the only Prem team this season not to surrender any points when they have gone ahead.
• SEAN DYCHE got his wish and Michael Keane stayed despite Everton’s desperation for him but the £20M – rated centre back – unlike Ulloa – did not go in the huff and was his usual commanding self.
• ASHLEY WESTWOOD got a real close – up of his new team mates following his £5M arrival from Aston Villa, watching the game from guest seats behind Kasper Schmeichel’s goal first half.
• WILFRED NDIDI enhanced talk that the Foxes may finally have found someone to replace N’Golo Kante as the £15M buy from Genk really put himself about to close down the Clarets.
• MIKE DEAN got incessant stick from Clarets fans – as he does most places these days – but got it spot – on when he refused a 38^th minute pen for a challenge by Danny Simpson on Ashley Barnes.
• DEADLINE NIGHT half-time announcement over the tannoy by Clarets that Robbie Brady signed in “club record’ deal from Norwich City. Price is £13M for 25 year old Irish midfielder.
• TOM HEATON is he safe hands of the Prem – his first half grab of a shot from Jamie Vardy took him to a league – high 96  - ten more than West Brom’s Ben Forster and over 20 more than Jordan Pickford of Sunderland.

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Dream Team Ratings

BURNLEY: Heaton 7, Lowton 7, Keane 8, Mee 7, Ward 7, Defour 6 (Arfield 34 mins, 7), Hendrick 6 (Tarkowski 89 mins, 6), Barton 7, Boyd 6, Barnes 6 (Vokes 79 mins, 7)  Gray 7.
LEICESTER: Schmeichel 6, Simpson 6, Morgan 7, Huth 6, Fuchs 6, Mahrez 6,  Ndidi 7, Drinkwater 7, Albrighton 6 (Okazaki 77 mins, 6), Gray 6 (Musa 67 mins, 6), Vardy 6.

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Social Says

What they say

Burnley chief Sean Dyche:  We deserved it. We finally broke them down and scored a good goal to win it.
"I think it comes off Sam Vokes' stomach first then his hand but you could suggest we could've had a penalty - there was a nudge in Michael Keane's back.
"We want Ashley Westwood and Robbie Brady to add to the quality of the team.. while Joey Barton is applying himself well, as he always has done at this club."

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri: "We have a problem scoring goals and we conceded a goal and we have to react.

"Our target from the beginning is 40 points and we have to fight from this point.";

"The referee is the boss, he didn't see it and we lost - in this moment everything is wrong against us, including the decision of the referee."

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