Leicester 1 Aston Villa 2 - Report

The Colombia international headed home just two minutes after being introduced to double Villa’s lead at the King Power Stadium.

Amadou Onana had earlier scored his second goal of the season to put Unai Emery’s team ahead.

But Duran’s goal proved pivotal when Facundo Buonanotte pulled one back for Leicester to ensure a nervy finish.

Analysis

Villa saw it through to make it two wins from two on the road in the Premier League on a day which bore many of the hallmarks of their opening day triumph at West Ham, including the scoreline.

Just as then Onana put them ahead in the opening half, with Duran scoring after coming off the bench in the second.

And just as then, they were guilty of failing to take first half chances which would have made the finish rather less tense than it needed to be.

Ollie Watkins was twice denied by Foxes goalkeeper Mads Hermansen as his search for a first goal of the season continued.

Villa also suffered another injury with Leon Bailey forced off inside the opening 16 minutes, with what appeared to be a hamstring problem

A hamstring injury to Matty Cash meant Emery was always going to be forced into changing his starting line-up.

The surprise was the identity of the man he chose to replace Cash, Lamare Bogarde getting the nod ahead of Kosta Nedeljkovic to make his first Premier League start.

Otherwise it was the same team who had started the opening two matches and Youri Tielemans, who had performed impressively in both, almost set up the opener on his return to his former club inside the opening two minutes.

His through ball put Watkins in on goal but Hermansen got a strong hand on the ball to push it away as the striker tried to round him.

It was the only chance of a scrappy opening which then saw Onana booked for a foul on former Villa man Jordan Ayew before Bailey was forced off.

The winger appeared to pull something stretching to block a clearance and could not continue, Ramsey replacing him off the bench.

Gradually, Villa began to find some rhythm and get on top. John McGinn curled wide, before Hermansen again denied Watkins.

This time Morgan Rogers was the supplier and this time, the save was more impressive, the Leicester keeper diving to his right to keep out the shot.

It felt like a breakthrough was coming but when it arrived, the hosts were less than happy.

Their frustration surrounded the award of a free-kick when Oliver Skipp slid in to challenge Watkins, with the midfielder adamant he had won the ball.

Perhaps the complaints were still in the mind of the hosts when they failed to react to the run of Ramsey just before Tielemans was about to deliver the set piece.

Instead of going long, the pass went short, Ramsey pulling the ball back across for a sliding Onana to finish.

Villa looked in the mood to add more and it needed another Hermansen save to keep out a dipping Ramsey effort.

The only complaint from the visitors’ perspective was they were not further ahead.

Five minutes before the break they were almost punished, Harry Winks chipping in a free-kick and Okoli failing to convert with just Emi Martinez to beat.

Villa carved out the first opening of the second half when Onana embarked on a driving run and picked out Ramsey with the crossfield pass. But the latter was unable to find Watkins in the middle.

The visitors were starting to get sloppy and give the ball away almost as much as the hosts. Leicester could not carve out a clear cut chance but Villa were given a warning when Jamie Vardy side footed home at the end of a move where the ball struck referee David Coote, sending it dead.

Emery reacted by bringing on Barkley and Duran and within two minutes the changes paid dividends. Digne crossed from the left and Duran rose to steer a header into the top corner.

That should really have sealed it for Villa but Leicester boss Steve Cooper also had changes up his sleeve.

Two of three players he introduced were involved in the goal which brought the hosts back into it, Stephy Mavididi sending in a cross which Buonanotte volleyed home after Wilfried Ndidi had headed the ball up.

There were no true moments of alarm until stoppage time. Most of the ground wanted a penalty when Jamie Vardy tumbled in the box despite Tielemans taking all of the ball and none of the man.

Deep into the added period, the hosts thought they had a spot-kick when Vardy again tumbled, this time from Konsa. Instead, referee David Coote was signalling for offside. The official left the field to loud boos, while Villa had the cheers.

Key Moments

27 GOAL Amadou Onana puts Villa ahead, sliding in to finish a training ground free-kick routine.

63 GOAL Jhon Duran doubles Villa’s lead just two minutes after coming off the bench, steering home Lucas Digne’s cross.

73 GOAL Leicester are back in it as Facundo Buonanotte volleys home Wifried Ndidi flicks up Stephy Mavididi’s cross.

Teams

Leicester (4-3-3): Hermansen, Justin, Okoli (McAteer 90+2), Faes, Kristiansen, Skipp (El Khannouss 68), Ndidi (De Cordova-Reid 89), Winks, Fatawu (Buonanotte 68), Vardy, Ayew (Mavididi 68) Subs not used: Ricardo, Vestergaard, Soumare, Iversen (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Bogarde (Nedeljkovic 79), Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana (Barkley 61), Tielemans, Bailey (Ramsey 16 (Maatsen 79)), Rogers, McGinn, Watkins (Duran 61) Subs not used: Swinkels, Buendia, Zych (gk), Gauci (gk).