That first half was a bit like pulling teeth

“The overall performance should have been better tonight and I can understand the fans being frustrated,” Levein said. “I don’t have any excuse, we should have done better. Burnley had a game plan, they did a similar thing to Wolves a couple of weeks ago. They came here to try and get a draw and hoped to hit us on the break and they did that.”

He added, “For the whole of the first half and the beginning of the second half we were fine, but as soon as we lost the goal that gave them something to hang on to. I don’t know why we were unable to break them down. There seems to be something about playing at home at the Walkers Stadium, we don’t play with the same cavalier attitude that we do away from home.

“There were times in the first half when our full backs could have gone forward and been a little bit more positive, but we played a little too safe. Then we started to get brave when we were behind because we have got nothing to lose. We have to learn to be brave at 0-0 when we are playing at home. We didn’t do that tonight.

“We weren’t as relaxed as we were against Watford at the weekend, we didn’t pass the ball and we weren’t brave enough. We didn’t commit ourselves to go forward and anticipate things and because of that Burnley managed to get in front.

“I am not talking about work rate or anything like that, they worked their socks off. But we need to get on the ball and we need to make things happen. A number of players played well on Saturday but they did not perform to the same level tonight and it is consistency that we are looking for.

Clarets’ boss Steve Cotterill certainly saw the first half in the same way as most people. “I thought the first half was very poor and we contributed to it,” he said. But in the second half I thought we were the better team and the 1-0 scoreline reflected that.

“It is a great win for us, it is a great place to come and it was great for me on a personal note, because I had a great and enjoyable time here, as well as for Frank and Ade. It is terrific for the lads because they didn’t deserve to lose to Leeds, so getting the three points was great for us. We passed the ball better in the second half and created the better chances too.”

He admitted there were words spoken at half time and said, “Half time was a bit noisy for five minutes, I wasn’t happy with the lads and to be fair they weren’t happy with themselves. That first half was a bit like pulling teeth. We were the better team in the second half and deserved the win.”

Steve ended by speaking about goalscorer Ade Akinbiyi and the treatment he received from the Leicester fans. “I wanted Ade to score tonight and I was a little surprised at the Leicester fans because the one thing he does is give his all. He might not have scored many goals at Leicester, but I am pretty sure he would have given his all here.

“I think the Leicester fans are great and I enjoyed my time here, but I think they probably don’t know Ade personally otherwise they would not have given him a reception like that. It was a bit unlike them but you could say it was written that Ade would score.

“It is great for him, he’s as honest as the day is long and I think he gets whatever he deserves in this life. He’s a terrific lad who trains as hard as he plays. I love him to bits.”