Leicester 0 Aston Villa 0 - Report
Villa ended a run of four straight defeats by playing out their first goal-less draw of the season at Leicester.
In a game of few chances, Leon Bailey missed the best in the early stages when he skied over from 10 yards out.
Ollie Watkins also drew a save from Leicester goalkeeper Kaspar Schmeichel as Steven Gerrard’s men searched for a breakthrough.
Leicester’s best effort of the match came from a late James Maddison free-kick, saved by Villa keeper Emi Martinez.
Analysis
This is not an afternoon which will live long in the memory, yet it felt an important one for Steven Gerrard as Villa avoided recording five straight defeats for the second time this season.
The first of those occasions in November led to head coach Dean Smith being sacked and while Gerrard would not have suffered the same fate with a defeat here, the draw did at least ease a little pressure.
By far the biggest positive was a 10th clean sheet of the campaign, albeit this was the first time Villa had failed to convert one into a victory.
On that note, their attacking performance was rather disappointing, with both Bailey and Philippe Coutinho failing to support the often impressive work of Watkins.
Gerrard restored Bailey to the starting line-up in place of Danny Ings and the Jamaica international should have put Villa ahead inside the opening 10 minutes.
Watkins showed great strength to power into the box beyond Wesley Fofana but when he pulled the ball back to Bailey his team-mate side-footed the finish over the bar from 10 yards out.
Villa’s defence had come under increasing scrutiny after conceding nine goals in their losing run, including four the last time out against Tottenham and there were some nervy moments here too.
John McGinn set up a Leicester counter-attack when he passed straight to Patson Daka, with Ezri Konsa then passing the ball straight out of play.
Konsa had endured a torrid time against Spurs and when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall got the better of the centre-back out wide, Villa were grateful to Ashley Young for beating James Justin to the cross.
The hosts were finding some rhythm but lacking precision around the box, Daka failing to make a decisive connection with an inviting Justin delivery.
Watkins shot straight at Schmeichel from 20 yards out but from there things rather petered out until Maddison curled a free-kick a yard or so wide of the post just prior to half-time.
Villa began the second period brightly with Fofana on hand to block a low Jacob Ramsey cross destined for Watkins before the latter, having turned neatly away from Fofana, pulled the ball too far out of Bailey’s reach at the far post.
It was Watkins who would then produce Villa’s second effort on target of the match, his low drive parried by Schmeichel at the near post after Bailey had burst into the Leicester half and found his team-mate.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers brought Jamie Vardy off the bench with 20 minutes to play and that enlivened the home crowd, with Villa forced to withstand sustained pressure.
But it wasn’t until into the final 10 minutes goalkeeper Emi Martinez made his first serious save of the afternoon, pushing away a Maddison free-kick low to his left.
Villa finished the brighter, substitute Emi Buendia curling an effort just past the post, before Young fired straight at Schmeichel from distance.
Teams
Leicester (4-3-3): Schmeichel, Justin, Fofana, Soyuncu, Castagne, Dewsbury-Hall, Mendy, Tielemans (Perez 86), Maddison, Daka (Vardy 71), Lookman (Barnes 80) Subs not used: Albrighton, Iheanacho, Amartey, Choudhury, Pereira, Ward (gk).
Villa (4-3-1-2): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Young, McGinn, Luiz (Iroegbunam 75), Ramsey (Nakamba 90+4), Coutinho (Buendia 79), Bailey, Watkins Subs not used: Chrisene, Chambers, Chukwuemeka, O’Reilly, Ings, Olsen (gk).
