Aston Villa 2 Leicester City 4 - Report
Villa were left to rue poor finishing and a shambolic defensive performance as they were beaten at home by struggling Leicester City.
Unai Emery’s men twice led in the first half but trailed at the break on an afternoon when defences went AWOL.
Ollie Watkins netted for the second straight match and Villa went back in front through a Harry Souttar own goal, after James Maddison had levelled.
But goals from Kelechi Iheanacho and Tete put the Foxes in front before Dennis Praet secured their win after a second half dominated by the hosts.
Analysis
Villa did everything but score as at times they laid siege to the visiting goal during the second period and while the main focus of post-match discussion will fall on their defending, a failure to take chances also cost them dear.
While Leicester scored with all four of their efforts on target, Villa failed to trouble goalkeeper Danny Ward with 15 of their 19 attempts on goal.
In a week where Emery demanded more complete and controlled performances at home, this was a step backward, albeit not without positives in some of his team’s attacking play.
Villa, attacking the Holte End in what has become a first half trend, had already threatened to open up the visiting defence a couple of times before Watkins put them ahead.
Kamara found Bailey on the right wing and when the Jamaica international could not find a way past Victor Kristiansen, he laid the ball off to Emi Buendia in the middle of the pitch, 20 yards out. The latter’s curling effort beat Ward but didn’t dip quite low enough, the ball crashing off the underside of the bar before being turned home by Watkins, who reacted quicker than defender Thomas Castagne.
Villa had not conceded an equaliser in the league under Emery but here handed the advantage straight back.
Emi Martinez’s pass out to Kamara immediately looked risky with three Leicester players in close attendance and when the midfielder tried to turn, he was pounced on by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The ball dropped to Iheanacho, who fed Maddison for the simple finish.
Villa took time to rediscover their rhythm after that but had gone close three times to restoring their lead, before eventually going back ahead in fortunate circumstances.
Watkins should have bagged his second of the match when arriving unmarked at the far post to meet Buendia’s low cross, a slight tough from Ward impacting the flight of the ball and leaving the striker unable to readjust his feet in time.
Ward then flung himself to his right to push Leon Bailey’s low shot round the post but was relieved to see Buendia’s glancing header smash against the bar from the resulting corner.
There was nothing the keeper could so soon after when Watkins received the ball from Digne on the left of the box and sent in a low cross which hit the boot of Souttar and flew over his head into the net.
Once again, Villa could not hold the lead. They had already been given one warning when Maddison curled an effort just wide from distance.
Then, after Tyrone Mings had blocked a Victor Kristiansen cross, the ball was recycled to Harvey Barnes, who delivered a cross over the defender’s head to an unmarked Iheanacho, who couldn’t miss.
Incredibly, things got worse for Villa before the break. Iheanacho picked up the ball in space and picked out the run of Pepe, who rounded Martinez before firing into an empty net to give the visitors a half-time lead.
Emery introduced Philippe Coutinho and Alex Moreno off the bench but it was Leicester who almost immediately extended their lead, Iheanacho curling wide when clean through on goal.
Ward then prevented a leveller when he pushed Buendia’s shot wide, before Tete curled wide at the other end as both teams continued to give up chances.
Bailey had the next big one but was unable to make decent contact on Buendia’s cross, the effort blocked by Faes in front of Ward. Souttar then did superbly to block a Watkins shot after the striker had been played through on goal by Coutinho, who then volleyed over from the corner.
Coutinho thought he had levelled only to see the effort ruled out for offside, while Bailey couldn’t find a way past a sea of bodies as he looked to drive home from the edge of the box.
It was all Villa but with 11 minutes to go came another mistake came another mistake and the sucker punch. Moreno failed to deal with Barnes’ ball over the top and Praet rounded Martinez before firing home.
Key Moments
9 GOAL Villa in front. Emi Buendia’s left-footed shot crashes off the underside of the bar and Ollie Watkins beats Thomas Castagne to the rebound.
12 GOAL Leicester are gifted a leveller. Boubacar Kamara loses the ball trying to pass it out from the back and James Maddison converts from the close range.
32 GOAL Villa back in front, in fortunate fashion. Watkins’ low cross hits Harry Souttar and flies over goalkeeper Danny Ward.
41 GOAL Leicester level again. Harvey Barnes finds an unmarked Kelechi Iheanacho at the far post and he heads home.
45+2 GOAL Leicester ahead. Iheanacho picks out the run of Tete and he rounds Martinez before slotting home.
79 GOAL After soaking up Villa pressure, Leicester deliver the sucker punch when Moreno fails to deal with Barnes’ ball over the top and Praet rounds Martinez to fire home.
Teams
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Ward, Castagne, Faes, Souttar, Kristiansen (Thomas 81), Tielemans, Dewsbury-Hall (Mendy 68), Tete (Soyuncu 83), Maddison (Praet 68), Barnes, Iheanacho (Vardy 68) Subs not used: Soyuncu, Daka, Brunt, Marcal-Madivadua, Iversen (gk).
Villa (4-4-2): Martinez, Young (Cash 58), Konsa, Mings, Digne (Moreno HT), Ramsey (Coutinho HT), Luiz, Kamara (Dendoncker 83), Buendia, Bailey (Duran 83), Watkins Subs not used: McGinn, Chambers, Sinisalo (gk), Olsen (gk).
