Jamie Vardy needed just 20 minutes to show Leicester what they have been missing as he inspired the Foxes to their first league win of 2022.
After more than two months out with a hamstring injury, Vardy replaced Patson Daka in the 72nd minute with the match goalless. He promptly set up fellow sub James Maddison for the opener and sealed the points with a header soon afterwards.
Earlier, Nick Pope looked to have lifted Burnley out of the bottom three with four brilliant saves, only for Vardy to turn the tide as Leicester won away in the league for the first time since October.
Jamie Vardy marked his comeback from injury with a goal and assist against Burnley
James Maddison slotted his goal superbly after being teed up by the returning striker
The midfielder bent his effort around and inside the post to give the Foxes the lead
Sean Dyche saw his side dig in against Leicester at Turf Moor but lose the game
Leicester will argue they deserved the win after creating the better chances though Maxwel Cornet had a goal ruled out for offside before the break and went close after it.
Vardy was involved in a matchday squad for the first time in 2022 after recovering from a hamstring injury, while Chris Kavanagh – the VAR official who so angered Frank Lampard when Everton were denied a penalty against Manchester City last weekend – took charge. By the end he was as popular with the home fans as he had been with Lampard.
Leicester wore T-shirts during the warm-up carrying the message ‘Football stands united – no war’ as the advertising boards at Turf Moor briefly displayed the yellow and blue of the Ukrainian flag.
The visitors created the first chance when Ricardo Pereira collected a return pass from Marc Albrighton and drew a fine low save from Pope.
Pope was called into action again the 19th minute when a mix-up with James Tarkowski presented a shooting chance to Daka, who was denied by the goalkeeper’s legs.
Moments afterwards, Cornet thought he had given Burnley the lead when he tapped in Aaron Lennon’s cross at the far post, only for the goal to be ruled out for a marginal offside.
Vardy nodded home at the back post to give Leicester a two-goal victory
Kasper Schmeichel is called into action by Maxwell Cornet in the second half
Connor Roberts (left) and Harvey Barnes (right) duel for possession of the ball
Then Ben Mee produced a superb sliding challenge to stop Daka going clean through, but injured himself in the process and was eventually forced off just before half-time, with Nathan Collins replacing him.
Collins nearly let in Harvey Barnes seconds after coming on via an unlucky ricochet, and it was left to Pope to rescue Burnley again by diverting the winger’s shot over the bar with his wrist – a save he appeared to know little about.
With Ademola Lookman replacing Pereira at half-time, Albrighton switched to right-back for the visitors, who were soon grateful to Kasper Schmeichel for keeping them level when he palmed away Connor Roberts’ drive.
Then Barnes, bursting clear, was stopped in his tracks by a superb recovery run and challenge by Lennon. Leicester could not find a way through, with Luke Thomas the next to go close with an angled effort that was deflected wide.
Yet Burnley were still threatening with their pace in attack, as Cornet and Lennon exploited the space behind Leicester’s back four.
The Fozes found stiff resistance with the relegation strugglers competing hard
Wout Weghorst missed a great chance to make it 1-1 late in the game at Turf Moor
Vardy and Maddison embraced at full time having led the visitors to three points
On one such occasion, Cornet reached Dwight McNeil’s fine pass just ahead of Caglar Soyuncu and Schmeichel but steered just wide. Moments later, the travelling fans roared with delight as Vardy replaced Daka, though McNeil’s influence was growing and more trickery produced a shot that hit Daniel Amartey and went wide.
Vardy was quickly into the action after coming on for Daka. His volley flew over and then he wanted a penalty after falling under a challenge from Collins.
But after Pope had produced another wonderful save from Barnes, Vardy seized on a long clearance from Schmeichel and set up Maddison, who found the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Then Vardy sealed it by nodding in Barnes’ cross and could not resist taunting the home fans by using his fingers to indicate the scoreline.
