SWATTING BEES
Luiz last-gasp leveller leaves Frank fuming
DOUGLAS LUIZ dug Unai Emery out of a hole after the Aston Villa boss looked set to pay for delaying a triple second-half switch.
The Spaniard was furious with the way his Europa League chasing side started the second half.
He thumped the ad boards a couple of times before frantically waving for changes to be made on the hour.
But he decided to leave Calum Chambers, Lucas Digne and Bertrand Traore on the touchline a further four minutes as he will not put players on when defending set pieces.
In that time Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney both went close to opening the scoring before the latter did with his 19th league goal of the season in the 65th minute.
Two of the players hooked, Ashley Young and Alex Moreno, were culpable for the goal. Mbeumo turned Moreno inside out on the right and his far-post cross caught Young napping allowing Toney to focus on making a solid connection with the ball and direct it through sub keeper Robin Olsen’s legs.
It was the least the Bees deserved but they were denied a first win in six matches when Luiz grabbed an 87thminute leveller, much to Emery’s relief.
The Spaniard said: “Today we did not play good but it is a very good point.
“Brentford are a very competitive team and are very hard to beat at home.
“To draw after they scored first makes it more difficult during 90 minutes.
“We are not happy with how we played but to draw is very important.”
Villa had to overcome the loss of keeper Emi Martinez to a stomach bug at half-time. Despite being sick the Argentine World Cup winner played a big part in keeping Brentford at bay in the first half. He produced alert saves to twice deny Toney.
Villa offered little in terms of goal threat after Emiliano Buendia forced David Raya into a finger-tip save after two minutes.
But at the death Luiz fired high into the net from eight yards when Buendia picked him out.
That brought a frustrated reaction from Bees boss Thomas Frank who had seen his side restrict former player Ollie Watkins to one late headed chance.
He said: “Villa deserve a lot of praise for what they are doing but the way we dominated them was incredible.” BRENTFORD: Raya 8; Hickey 7, Pinnock 7, Mee 7, Henry 7; Jensen 6 (Dasilva 90), Norgaard 6 (Onyeka (46) 6), Janelt 7 (Damsgaard 77); Mbeumo 8, Toney 7, Schade 7 (Wissa 77) A VILLA: Martinez 7 (Olsen (46) 7); Young 5 (Chambers (66) 6), Konsa 6, Mings 7, Moreno 5 (Digne (66) 6); Dendoncker 6 (Traore (66) 6), Luiz 7; Mcginn 7, Buendia 7, Ramsey 7; Watkins 6 STAR MAN: Bryan Mbeumo – Great cross for Toney’s goal in an otherwise super day. REF: Michael Salisbury 7
of treatment heaping pressure on Kelechi Iheanacho who was waiting patiently to take the spot-kick.
But cool as you like he sent Jose Sa the wrong way to hand Leicester an unlikely lifeline.
Vardy didn’t re-emerge after the break but his indomitable spirit lived on as Leicester came out of their nervous shell with substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-hall blazing over the bar after Patson
Daka had been denied by Sa.
The keeper then kept out a fierce shot on the turn from the impressive Caglar Soyuncu, who has been frozen out for much of the season.
Then came the flowing move with 15 minutes to go which ended with Victor Kristiansen cutting the ball back for Castagne to pounce with a sweetlystruck effort for only his second goal of the season.
But in the dying minutes Daniel Iversen ensured there was a party atmosphere with a stunning save from a goal-bound Ruben Neves free-kick. LEICESTER: Iversen 7; Castagne 7, Soyuncu 8, Faes 7, Kristiansen 6; Tielemans 5 (Ndidi (67) 6), Soumare 7; Tete 6 (Praet 77), Iheanacho 7 (Mendy 85), Daka 6; Vardy 6 (Dewsbury-hall (46) 7) WOLVES: Sa 7; Semedo 7, Dawson 7, Kilman 7, Toti 6 (Neto 84); Nunes 6 (Podence 80), Gomes 6, Lemina 6 (Neves (46) 6), Sarabia 6 (Hee-chan (58) 6); Cunha 7, Costa 6 (Moutinho (58) 6)
Caglar Soyuncu – He was a steady influence throughout the game.
Andy Madley 7