Puel Praises Foxes Mentality After Late Leveller
- Leicester City score late to earn a 1-1 draw with AFC Bournemouth at King Power Stadium
- Joshua King put the visitors ahead with a first half penalty
- Riyad Mahrez equalised with a sublime free kick deep into second half stoppage time
- Manager Claude Puel praised the mentality of his team for pushing until the end for their goal
Cherries striker Joshua King put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot after being fouled by Marc Albrighton in the first half.
Despite applying plenty of pressure in the second half, it took until the seventh minute of stoppage time to find the equaliser – a stunning free kick from Riyad Mahrez.
It was a just reward for the Foxes, who endured a frustrating afternoon against a highly organised Bournemouth side, but were unable to test Asmir Begović on too many occasions.
Puel's Bournemouth Verdict
Claude Puel was pleased with his Leicester City side's determination to seal a point on Saturday.
Afterwards, Puel was pleased with the late equaliser but made no secret of his disappointment at not having come away with three points from his team’s third home Premier League draw in a row.
He reflected at full-time: “It would have been better to score before but it was important to get the equaliser because it is a good reward for our mentality today.
“At the end it is not enough. We dropped two more points at home and that is not enough, but it was the minimum to come back in this condition, with all the scenarios.
“It is good momentum because the players believed until the end. I was happy for them because it was tough to keep that strong mentality, to keep going.
"It was the same feeling from the fans because they pushed their team until the end. It is a shame and a disappointment also because we dropped two points.”
The Foxes made three changes to the starting XI but had to change things early in the first half when right back Daniel Amartey went down with an injury.
Puel shifted to a three-at-the-back system and was pleased to see his side adapt and come away with something in the end
He added: “The injury to Daniel Amartey changed things and perhaps destabilised the players a little bit. But the feeling and the quality, it was interesting.
"We played a good team with quality, good in possession and good in defence, and the second half we had good desire. We kept going until the end and it was attack against defence.
"It was the minimum to come back in the game.
“I think it is fantastic [that Mahrez scored at the end]. It is a good reward for Riyad and the team also.
"I said he will come back with a good attitude, a positive attitude. He has shown that in this game and in the last game also.
“It was a fantastic mentality with good focus and concentration. I am happy about this. It shows his good mentality and positive attitude. I am proud about him and his team-mates also.
"It is good for all the squad that he comes back with a good spirit in the team. He is a valuable player for us and he showed his quality and his good mentality also.
“That is important. When he came back into the team we got fantastic support from the fans.
"They can see he is here with us and he can make the difference, because he is a great player but also because he has a good mentality.”