A highly entertaining match saw tenacious Villa peg Leicester back to earn a precious point.
FULL TIME: Aston Villa 1-1 Leicester City
And that’s that! Leicester go top thanks to the point they’ve earned. They’d likely have claimed all three had Mahrez not missed his first-half penalty kick, but Villa deserved a draw on the balance of play: they were tenacious in that second half, and Rudy Gestede’s goal means they’re now just six points behind 19th placed Sunderland, and nine from safety. Leicester can continue hoping for the title; Villa can keep hoping for a great escape.
90 min +5: Villa replace Ayew with Sinclair.
90 min +4: The free kick doesn’t beat the first man. The disappointment around Villa Park is palpable.
90 min +3: Kozak burns down the right wing, and earns a cheap free kick off a clumsy Fuchs. A chance for Villa to load the box.
90 min +2: Ayew drives at Leicester down the inside-right channel, but a heavy touch sees him lose control, and the ball rolls harmlessly through to Schmeichel.
90 min +1: Drinkwater sends Vardy tearing down the inside-left channel with a stunning sliderule pass. Vardy enters the box but a loose touch takes him a little wide, and he hoicks a wild shot over the bar from a tight-ish angle.
90 min: There will be five added minutes.
89 min: Leicester press Villa back, but a loose Kante pass allows the home team to break upfield. They’re three on two, with Gestede in acres on the left, screaming for a pass from Ayew. But it never comes. Ayew and Veretout fiddle about down the right, and the move fizzles out.
87 min: A long ball down the middle. Gestede, buoyed by his goal, rises to flick on for Kozak, who should make Schmeichel work from 12 yards, but doesn’t get anything behind the shot. This is pleasingly hectic.
86 min: The former Villa star Albrighton comes on for the former Birmingham player Gray. Imagine how that swap went down.
84 min: Vardy pushes Bacuna in the back. Bacuna considers taking Vardy by the throat. The pair lock horns. For a second, it looks like kicking off properly, but it all calms down quickly enough, and it’s just a yellow each.
82 min: This is brilliant end-to-end madness. Both teams are going for the three points. Albrighton, in the centre circle facing backwards, swivels and hoicks a superb ball down the middle. Vardy nearly breaks clear on goal. Okore snuffs out the danger. Down the other end, Gestede very nearly breaks clear down the left, but doesn’t have the pace to keep the move going.
79 min: Leicester have been quiet as an attacking force of late. The equaliser has spurred them into action again. A Drinkwater cross from the left is nearly shanked into his own goal by the hapless Lescott. The resulting corner comes to nothing. An addendum to Mark Regan’s anorakilly-correct definition of a Midlands derby, according to Justin Kavanagh: “DH Lawrence would probably define it as: if you can’t can’t imagine the two managers in a naked wrestling match for the three points, it’s not a derby’.” Getting hot in here.
77 min: Huth is booked for arguing the toss about the goal. And soon after, he’s crumping his arm into poor Kozak’s coupon again. He’ll need to watch out. Villa Park is bouncing. Belief is back on the menu.
What a strange goal this is. Huth and Gestede tussle for the ball on the right-hand edge of the Leicester D. Huth boots the ball into Gestede’s trouser arrangement. He takes the hit and bundles the ball past the defender to take a stride into the box. He shoots straight at goal. The ball takes a break off the arm of the lunging Morgan, and flies into the top right. All the lucky bounces went with Villa there, but they’ve deserved something for all their second-half pressure!
74 min: A couple of games of head tennis in the Leicester box. Gestede causes more bother during the first. The second ends with Fuchs guiding an absurdly confident header back to Schmeichel, with Ayew and Gestede sniffing around. Schmeichel, having gathered the ball under intense pressure, gives his team-mate a rare old rollicking. “Newcastle-Middlesborough is referred to as a derby (47 mins) and that’s forty-odd miles. Also, you can’t be an anorak in this weather: you need an overcoat and a furry hat. Overcoatilly, Julian Le Saux.”
73 min: Corner for Villa on the right. Gestede tries to bring the ball down on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. He claims a penalty, as the nearby Drinkwater was waving his arms about. Had the ball hit either of those arms, he’d have had a point.
70 min: A couple of changes. Gestade comes on for Gil, while Mahrez is replaced by Ulloa. The latter is in the thick of it almost immediately: De Laet curls a fine cross into the Villa box from the right. Villa are short on numbers, and if Ulloa traps, he’ll be one on one with Bunn, 12 yards out. He doesn’t trap.
68 min: And now Villa are so close to an equaliser! Kante clatters into the increasingly influential Ayew down the right, near the byline. The resulting free kick is headed over from close range by Okore.
67 min: Vardy tears down the middle after a defence-splitting Drinkwater pass. He rounds Bunn on the outside, but the keeper’s done enough to push him wide left. Vardy crosses into the six-yard box, finding Drinkwater, who has kept running in support. But Drinkwater can only flick a strange effort wide right of the post. Leicester so close to a game-clinching second.
66 min: Now Ayew dribbles his way down the right, and breaks into space as he enters the Leicester box. He unselfishly pulls the ball back for Gueye who, cutting in from the right, hits a first-time shot goalwards. It’s a rare old pelt, but straight at Schmeichel.
64 min: This is all Villa right now. Ayew breaks down the left and very nearly finds Westwood in the Leicester area with a low, threaded pass of a cross. Huth steps in to intercept.
61 min: Huth and Kozak go up to challenge Westwood’s left-wing cross on the penalty spot. Huth sticks out a firm arm and clatters Kozak in the mush. That’s clumsy bordering on reckless, and should lead to a penalty kick. The referee isn’t going to give it, though, and Leicester break upfield, very nearly releasing Vardy on goal. Thankfully for those who’d like Villa Park to remain in the environs of Birmingham, the ball ends up harmlessly back with Bunn. If Leicester had gone two up after that penalty shout, the steam coming out of the home support’s ears would likely have propelled the stadium into space. As it is, they’re livid enough. That’s a poor decision.
60 min: Leicester hook the goalscorer Okazaki and send on De Laet. They’ll push Simpson further forward.
59 min: Simpson dribbles down the right. Cissokho, who has been very busy since the restart, sticks to him like glue. No space for a cross, but Simpson wins a corner. A brilliant short corner routine is worked back up the flank and along the front of the Villa box for Drinkwater, who opens his body and powerfully sidefoots a rising shot goalwards. Bunn tips over well. The second corner, another short routine but over on the left, is a total farce, and best forgotten.
56 min: Ayew attempts to bicycle-kick a Cissokho left-wing cross goalwards from 12 yards. He can’t connect properly. Leicester make a Broadway-style song and dance of clearing their box, but do so eventually. Villa are beginning to make their presence felt. A little. Small acorns, and
54 min: Villa are pressing Leicester back for the first time in the game. Veretout curls a promising cross in from the right, but Huth, facing his own goal on the edge of the six-yard box, and with Ayew lurking, swivels and hooks clear. all that.
52 min: Space for Cissokho down the left again. He mishit his cross the last time he was down here, but now he pearls a fine rising shot goalwards from just inside the box. Problem is, it’s straight at Schmeichel, who parries away from danger with powerful fists. That’s given the home faithful something to shout about, though.
51 min: Konte and Albrighton swarm around the Villa midfield. The latter wins possession and feeds Mahrez, who nearly sends Okazaki clear down the middle with a first-time volleyed pass. Villa look fairly porous at the back.sts. That’s given the home faithful something to shout about, though.
90 min +5: Villa replace Ayew with Sinclair.
90 min +4: The free kick doesn’t beat the first man. The disappointment around Villa Park is palpable.
90 min +3: Kozak burns down the right wing, and earns a cheap free kick off a clumsy Fuchs. A chance for Villa to load the box.
90 min +2: Ayew drives at Leicester down the inside-right channel, but a heavy touch sees him lose control, and the ball rolls harmlessly through to Schmeichel.
90 min +1: Drinkwater sends Vardy tearing down the inside-left channel with a stunning sliderule pass. Vardy enters the box but a loose touch takes him a little wide, and he hoicks a wild shot over the bar from a tight-ish angle.
90 min: There will be five added minutes.
89 min: Leicester press Villa back, but a loose Kante pass allows the home team to break upfield. They’re three on two, with Gestede in acres on the left, screaming for a pass from Ayew. But it never comes. Ayew and Veretout fiddle about down the right, and the move fizzles out.
87 min: A long ball down the middle. Gestede, buoyed by his goal, rises to flick on for Kozak, who should make Schmeichel work from 12 yards, but doesn’t get anything behind the shot. This is pleasingly hectic.
86 min: The former Villa star Albrighton comes on for the former Birmingham player Gray. Imagine how that swap went down.
84 min: Vardy pushes Bacuna in the back. Bacuna considers taking Vardy by the throat. The pair lock horns. For a second, it looks like kicking off properly, but it all calms down quickly enough, and it’s just a yellow each.
82 min: This is brilliant end-to-end madness. Both teams are going for the three points. Albrighton, in the centre circle facing backwards, swivels and hoicks a superb ball down the middle. Vardy nearly breaks clear on goal. Okore snuffs out the danger. Down the other end, Gestede very nearly breaks clear down the left, but doesn’t have the pace to keep the move going.
79 min: Leicester have been quiet as an attacking force of late. The equaliser has spurred them into action again. A Drinkwater cross from the left is nearly shanked into his own goal by the hapless Lescott. The resulting corner comes to nothing. An addendum to Mark Regan’s anorakilly-correct definition of a Midlands derby, according to Justin Kavanagh: “DH Lawrence would probably define it as: if you can’t can’t imagine the two managers in a naked wrestling match for the three points, it’s not a derby’.” Getting hot in here.
77 min: Huth is booked for arguing the toss about the goal. And soon after, he’s crumping his arm into poor Kozak’s coupon again. He’ll need to watch out. Villa Park is bouncing. Belief is back on the menu.
What a strange goal this is. Huth and Gestede tussle for the ball on the right-hand edge of the Leicester D. Huth boots the ball into Gestede’s trouser arrangement. He takes the hit and bundles the ball past the defender to take a stride into the box. He shoots straight at goal. The ball takes a break off the arm of the lunging Morgan, and flies into the top right. All the lucky bounces went with Villa there, but they’ve deserved something for all their second-half pressure!
74 min: A couple of games of head tennis in the Leicester box. Gestede causes more bother during the first. The second ends with Fuchs guiding an absurdly confident header back to Schmeichel, with Ayew and Gestede sniffing around. Schmeichel, having gathered the ball under intense pressure, gives his team-mate a rare old rollicking. “Newcastle-Middlesborough is referred to as a derby (47 mins) and that’s forty-odd miles. Also, you can’t be an anorak in this weather: you need an overcoat and a furry hat. Overcoatilly, Julian Le Saux.”
73 min: Corner for Villa on the right. Gestede tries to bring the ball down on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box. He claims a penalty, as the nearby Drinkwater was waving his arms about. Had the ball hit either of those arms, he’d have had a point.
70 min: A couple of changes. Gestade comes on for Gil, while Mahrez is replaced by Ulloa. The latter is in the thick of it almost immediately: De Laet curls a fine cross into the Villa box from the right. Villa are short on numbers, and if Ulloa traps, he’ll be one on one with Bunn, 12 yards out. He doesn’t trap.
68 min: And now Villa are so close to an equaliser! Kante clatters into the increasingly influential Ayew down the right, near the byline. The resulting free kick is headed over from close range by Okore.
67 min: Vardy tears down the middle after a defence-splitting Drinkwater pass. He rounds Bunn on the outside, but the keeper’s done enough to push him wide left. Vardy crosses into the six-yard box, finding Drinkwater, who has kept running in support. But Drinkwater can only flick a strange effort wide right of the post. Leicester so close to a game-clinching second.
66 min: Now Ayew dribbles his way down the right, and breaks into space as he enters the Leicester box. He unselfishly pulls the ball back for Gueye who, cutting in from the right, hits a first-time shot goalwards. It’s a rare old pelt, but straight at Schmeichel.
64 min: This is all Villa right now. Ayew breaks down the left and very nearly finds Westwood in the Leicester area with a low, threaded pass of a cross. Huth steps in to intercept.
61 min: Huth and Kozak go up to challenge Westwood’s left-wing cross on the penalty spot. Huth sticks out a firm arm and clatters Kozak in the mush. That’s clumsy bordering on reckless, and should lead to a penalty kick. The referee isn’t going to give it, though, and Leicester break upfield, very nearly releasing Vardy on goal. Thankfully for those who’d like Villa Park to remain in the environs of Birmingham, the ball ends up harmlessly back with Bunn. If Leicester had gone two up after that penalty shout, the steam coming out of the home support’s ears would likely have propelled the stadium into space. As it is, they’re livid enough. That’s a poor decision.
60 min: Leicester hook the goalscorer Okazaki and send on De Laet. They’ll push Simpson further forward.
59 min: Simpson dribbles down the right. Cissokho, who has been very busy since the restart, sticks to him like glue. No space for a cross, but Simpson wins a corner. A brilliant short corner routine is worked back up the flank and along the front of the Villa box for Drinkwater, who opens his body and powerfully sidefoots a rising shot goalwards. Bunn tips over well. The second corner, another short routine but over on the left, is a total farce, and best forgotten.
56 min: Ayew attempts to bicycle-kick a Cissokho left-wing cross goalwards from 12 yards. He can’t connect properly. Leicester make a Broadway-style song and dance of clearing their box, but do so eventually. Villa are beginning to make their presence felt. A little. Small acorns, and
54 min: Villa are pressing Leicester back for the first time in the game. Veretout curls a promising cross in from the right, but Huth, facing his own goal on the edge of the six-yard box, and with Ayew lurking, swivels and hooks clear. all that.
52 min: Space for Cissokho down the left again. He mishit his cross the last time he was down here, but now he pearls a fine rising shot goalwards from just inside the box. Problem is, it’s straight at Schmeichel, who parries away from danger with powerful fists. That’s given the home faithful something to shout about, though.
51 min: Konte and Albrighton swarm around the Villa midfield. The latter wins possession and feeds Mahrez, who nearly sends Okazaki clear down the middle with a first-time volleyed pass. Villa look fairly porous at the back.sts. That’s given the home faithful something to shout about, though.
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