Villa enjoying a Stevie Gee up!
But lame Leicester stuck in the stalls
Athird win in four for Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa, a sixth defeat of the season for Leicester and an inescapable feeling that these are clubs heading in opposite directions.
these are early days in the Gerrard era but it has been a promising beginning. After falling behind to harvey Barnes’ 14thminute strike, centre back Ezri Konsa scored twice in front of Gareth Southgate to lift Villa into the top half of the table, above Leicester on goal difference.
On Saturday, Gerrard returns to Liverpool for the first time as an opposing manager. it was also first blood to Gerrard in the Premier League against Brendan rodgers after they won a game apiece in Scotland. the pair’s history dates to 2012, when rodgers became Liverpool manager and Gerrard was his captain. there are plenty of chapters still to be written in this rivalry.
Villa produced a display full of energy and enterprise, as the memory of the five straight defeats that cost dean Smith his job fades. if only life was as rosy for Leicester.
the FA Cup holders cannot get their campaign going, and their Europa League tie at Napoli on thursday — where Leicester need a draw to progress to the knockout stages — looks crucial.
With nine games in december, rodgers kept back top-scorer Jamie Vardy until the 65th minute yet it is in defence where Leicester have problems.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel looked vulnerable under the high ball and it could have been even worse for Leicester had Jacob ramsey not had a goal ruled out in first-half stoppage time by VAr for a foul on the dane.
though Villa were not perfect, and had Emiliano Martinez to thank for a brilliant late save from Barnes, they deserved the win.
Leicester have struggled at the start of games this term yet they were sharper than usual here and took an early lead. Vardy’s standin Patson daka won his scrap with Matty Cash and Marvelous Nakamba and fed Barnes to his left, who guided the ball through Konsa’s legs and into the far corner. Gerrard flung an arm in the air in disgust.
Konsa quickly atoned by bringing Villa level 170 seconds later. douglas Luiz’s free-kick was headed back into the danger zone by Cash, where Emiliano Buendia headed it goalwards. Konsa, by the post, got a faint touch to the ball with his toe, and the goal stood after an offside check.
Both these defences are flawed and chances flowed, as Villa thought they had moved ahead in first-half stoppage time. Once again Cash was first to Luiz’s cross and when Schmeichel tried to grasp the loose ball, ramsey
swept it home. After a long VAr check, however, the goal was ruled out, as Schmeichel — who had one hand on the ball — was deemed to have been in control of it.
Under Law 12, the decision was correct, but that did not placate the home players or fans, especially when a replay of the incident was shown on the giant screen. Villa players debated with referee Michael Oliver as they left the field at half-time.
As the holte End baited Schmeichel, John McGinn sent a deep corner to the far post and with Schmeichel stuck to his line, Konsa outjumped Caglar Soyuncu to head home.
it was the 10th goal, excluding penalties, that Leicester had conceded from set-pieces in the league alone and it prompted rodgers to send for Vardy.
it was Villa, however, who looked the more threatening as their full backs continued to rampage forward with Cash having another shot blocked. But with an advantage of only one goal, Gerrard’s men could not relax and James Maddison sent a left-foot shot inches wide from 20 yards.
the Villa manager was on his knees in anguish moments later after Ollie Watkins went clean through only to fire against Schmeichel. And he was disbelieving again when, after referee Oliver played advantage, ramsey spooned McGinn’s pass into the holte End.
Barnes thought he had equalised with a looping header 15 minutes from time only for Martinez to produce a sensational save, leaping to his right to turn the ball over. A super start for Gerrard, but plenty to ponder for his former manager.