IT was an afternoon of regrets for Burnley at the King Power Stadium as error and injury saw them fall to a rare away defeat.

While the setback on the pitch can be brushed off and amends made, potentially, within a week, it is the injury to Robbie Brady which could have more long term ramifications for the season.

Nick Pope, close to faultless since replacing Tom Heaton in the Clarets goal, will be keen to move on from the mistake that gifted Leicester City what proved to be their early winner, but Brady will be replaying the moment he suffered an injury to his left knee over and over again.

Exact details are still be confirmed, but Sean Dyche said he expected the injury to be serious and it certainly looked that way when Brady was stretchered off with his knee in a brace and then sent to hospital.

It was a cruel blow for a player who has been showing his most consistent form for the club since a £13million move 10 months ago.

Brady has infuriated and inspired in close to equal measure since that move, but last week Dyche spoke of how he had adjusted to his role at the club and the proof was being seen on the pitch.

After his man of the match display at Bournemouth, contributing a goal and an assist, Brady was again the Clarets’ chief creator in the east Midlands.

Burnley had responded well to going behind, with the Irishman at the heart of it, but after his departure they lacked the same spark and struggled to pose the Foxes the problems they had been doing, bar a late rally.

If Brady’s absence is a long-term one then a lot of that creative burden will rest on the shoulders of his wing partner Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who had Burnley’s best chance to snatch a point on Saturday.

The first blow for the Clarets was self-inflicted though. Riyad Mahrez’s in-swinging cross may have been drifting into the corner, but Pope could only palm it out straight against Demarai Gray and the ball ended up in the back of the net.

Burnley got a grip of the game after going behind. Chris Wood, returning to his former club and keen to make a point, just failed to control a deflected Gudmundsson cross right in front of goal, while two Brady corners presented headed chances to James Tarkowski, who sent it wide, and Ben Mee, whose effort went over.

Brady then received the ball in an almost identical position to when he scored at Bournemouth. Again he shifted to his right foot but a heavy touch left him lunging for the shot. Harry Maguire cleared and Brady’s rash attempt at getting a shot way left him in a heap on the floor. His immediate wave to the dugout suggested he knew his injury was serious.

With Brady gone it was Mahrez who become the key player on the pitch. Pope punched a 20-yard shot clear after a driving run from the Algerian, who almost teed up Jamie Vardy early in the second half and the striker’s mis-hit shot was then missed by Wes Morgan six-yards out.

Pope was becoming increasingly busy, denying Marc Albrighton and Vardy, while Gray swept a low shot against the woodwork.

In amongst the pressure it was a counter attack that led to Burnley’s best chance. Jeff Hendrick fed Gudmundsson, who had the legs on Morgan, but Kasper Schmeichel was equal to his shot, saving with his legs.

The arrival of Sam Vokes and Ashley Barnes reignited the Clarets. Vokes headed a corner wide while Barnes failed to make contact with an inviting Gudmundsson cross before his low effort in injury-time was easily fielded by Schmeichel, securing the points for the hosts.