Leicester draw at Brighton felt like a win, says manager Claude Puel
Saturday 24 November 2018 19:02, UK
Claude Puel claimed his Leicester team's comeback felt like a win after seeing them salvage a 1-1 draw after having James Maddison sent off.
The 2016 Premier League champions found themselves a goal and a man down at the break after Glenn Murray scored then Maddison was booked twice in three minutes.
Jamie Vardy's introduction as a substitute changed the game, however, and his penalty 11 minutes from the end stretched Leicester's unbeaten run to four matches.
Puel paid tribute to the character his side showed after and said: "It's like a win. Obviously it's just one point but it's one point away after a difficult situation with the sending off.
"We conceded set pieces also and it was difficult to react but with 10 men in the second half we played like 11 men.
"I think we deserved to come back in the game and perhaps to win because we dominated a lot of the second half.
"We had a good performance on the floor and quality. I like our mentality and fighting spirit in these conditions.
"It's not the first time we have conceded a goal then succeeded at coming back in the game. It's strange for the team to continue in this way.
"Of course, I have to correct some points from the first half but I am happy with the reaction from all the team and the squad. It was perfect.
"We could have won the game. We dominated a lot in the second half and we almost deserved a win for our fighting spirit and mentality."
Vardy came on having been left on the bench by Puel after struggling with a groin injury in the build-up to the match.
The former England striker showed little sign of being troubled after he came on, giving Leicester presence up front they had been lacking before the break.
Puel added: "Jamie could not train for two weeks. He just came back two days ago and I didn't want to take any risks with him.
"We have a lot of games, of course, in December and I wanted to preserve him for the second half with good energy."
Puel would not be drawn on Maddison's dismissal, which came for simulation in the Brighton penalty area after a clip on Anthony Knockaert moments earlier.
The Frenchman did at least concede discipline is something Leicester must work on following previous red cards for Vardy and club captain Wes Morgan on two separate occasions.
Puel said: "It is our fourth sending off since the beginning of the season and that's a lot. Perhaps sometimes it's not normal from ourselves but sometimes we have some bad decisions.
"I don't know if it's a bad decision today but we have to correct this and to keep our calm, to manage our games without putting ourselves in difficulty."
