LEICESTER, England (AP) - Leicester beat Burnley 1-0 in the English Premier League on Saturday, the third win in Claude Puel’s sixth match in charge.
Demarai Gray’s early goal proved enough to give three points to the 2016 champion.
Burnley dropped a place but only to seventh.
Leicester took the lead after only six minutes.
Riyad Mahrez’s in-swinging cross from the left looked to be creeping in at the far post, forcing Nick Pope to dive to his right and push the ball away. But he could only parry it into the path of the oncoming Gray, who collided with the frame of the goal as he slid in to finish from point-blank range.
Like Gray, Burnley recovered well and Chris Wood, a former Leicester player, quickly had a good chance to equalize. Phil Bardsley’s low cross was deflected into the path of Wood but the striker’s first touch with his chest was heavy and it allowed Kasper Schmeichel to smother the danger.
Burnley’s Robbie Brady and Harry Maguire had a nasty-looking collision of shins. Both players laid on the ground in some pain and after receiving some treatment Brady was carried from the field on a stretcher and replaced by Scott Arfield.
The injury appeared to upset Burnley’s rhythm and either side of halftime Leicester assumed control.
Wes Morgan had an effort cleared off the line by Phil Bardsley after Jamie Vardy mis-hit his attempt.
Gray came close to a second goal midway through the second half when he steered a shot which clipped the outside of a post, before Pope saved well from Marc Albrighton and Vardy.
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