BEN Mee believes Burnley can take confidence from the clean sheet earned at Leicester City, in difficult circumstances.

Not only had the Clarets conceded 13 goals in three defeats going into the game, but were the first opponents at the King Power Stadium following the helicopter crash that killed Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others on October 27.

The homecoming made for an emotional occasion for all concerned, and a unique atmosphere to play in after a succession of pre-match tributes. But Mee feels the Clarets dealt with it as well as possible in earning the point.

“Coming out for the warm-up and everything it was an emotional atmosphere, a different atmosphere to what you’re used to,” explained Mee, who had a loan spell at Leicester from Manchester City under Srivaddhanaprabha’s reign in 2011.

“I spent a little bit of time here so I’ve got a little bit of a connection.

“It was a fitting tribute to the man and the people that were involved as well. It was a nice tribute that the club put on definitely.

“It was up to us to put on just a professional performance and go out there and play our game and I thought we did that really well.

“To be fair once we’d paid our respects and the whistle went it was business as usual. We knew we had to come and do a job here and be professional.”

It was a job well done in the end, with Burnley earning their first clean sheet in six games, on the back of heavy defeats to Manchester City, Chelsea and West Ham.

“It was nice to keep a clean sheet, especially after conceding so many goals,” Mee continued.

“It was nice to have that behind us so that we can move on and build from there.”

Burnley also had to deal with a defensive change, after James Tarkowski underwent a hernia operation. Kevin Long replaced the England centre half to play his part in the shut-out, and Sean Dyche has challenged the Irishman to stake a claim for a regular starting place.

“Longy came in, as he has done many times over the last few years, and done well,” said the Burnley boss, who feels it is up to Burnley’s longest serving defender to alter the perception he is fourth choice behind Mee, Tarkowski and Ben Gibson, who also had a hernia operation last week.

“That’s his job, to change that.

“To be fair to him, if he keeps playing like that...

“He’s played really well.

“His professionalism has been outstanding. He looks after himself properly, he trains properly, and when you need him, he delivers a performance.”