Saturday 14 April 2018 19:27, UK
Leicester manager Claude Puel has backed Burnley to secure European football after a "crazy" start saw them lose 2-1 at Turf Moor.
The Foxes went into the game six points behind their opponents in eighth place, with seventh spot expected to secure a place in the Europa League next season, provided Southampton do not win the FA Cup.
But the gap was extended to nine points with Burnley's victory on Saturday, and Puel had only warm words for Sean Dyche's side despite conceding twice in the opening nine minutes.
"Congratulations for this team and this manager because I think they deserve this good journey and perhaps Europe because they show a consistency throughout the season," he told Sky Sports.
"At the beginning of the game, in the first seven or eight minutes, we conceded two goals. It was crazy, but the second half, we had a lot of chances to score and just to score one goal in this game is crazy.
"Perhaps this afternoon, we deserved a different result at the end after all the chances.
"There was a good reaction from the players and we were unlucky with some of the chances, maybe we lacked a clinical edge, but we tried for the whole game with a good intensity."
With five games of the season to go, Leicester are still targeting a top ten finish and Puel is hoping their second-half performance can carry through into their remaining fixtures this term.
"Now it will be important to keep a good concentration and a chance to finish in the first part of the table," he added.
"I hope we can keep this play because it was interesting and promising today. For example, our first half in the last game, it was not enough with the play forward or the quality and I like when my players play with this good tempo and good quality and to play this way is encouraging.
"Now of course, it is just a disappointment for all but it is important to keep this good feeling and positive attitude for the last games."
