After a defeat to Crystal Palace on the weekend, Leicester City announced that Brendan Rodgers was set to leave the club with immediate effect – after four years as Head Coach. With no replacement yet found, Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell were to take charge of the team for Tuesday’s home clash against an in-form Aston Villa side. The Foxes managed to defeat Unai Emery’s side at the start of February, but have won just once since.
LEI: Iversen; Kristiansen, Faes, Souttar, Castagne; Dewsbury-Hall, Ndidi, Mendy; Barnes, Varda, Maddison
AVL: Martinez; Moreno, Mings, Konsa, Young; Buendia, D. Luiz, McGinn, Ramsey; Watkins, Bailey
Life without Brendan Rodgers didn’t get off to the most convincing start, with Villa having the first attack as Leon Bailey broke free on the right wing – but Wilfred Ndidi recovered well to force the Jamaican into the corner before dispossessing him. The visitors soon pushed forwards again though, as Emi Buendia looked to find Ollie Watkins, though Wout Faes was able to foresee the pass and cut it out well.
The Foxes did have a few chances early on though, with Jamie Vardy pressurising Ezri Konsa – but the striker’s interception sent the ball out for a goal-kick. Harvey Barnes was next to probe forwards, cutting inside from the left flank and getting a shot off but his low strike was saved well by Emi Martinez.
Leicester City were starting to grow into the game, with James Maddison firing a cross into the box though it fell just behind Jamie Vardy who was unable to divert it into the back netting. Maddison had another chance soon after, whipping a free-kick into the box – and while Harry Souttar met it, the Australian’s headed effort was wide of the near post.
The Foxes should have opened the scoring twenty minutes in, and once again it was Maddison with the delivery into the box – this time from a corner. He found the head of Harry Souttar once more, though the defender nodded it wide yet again.
Perhaps against the run of play, it was Villa that took the lead in the 24th minute as Ollie Watkins fired home. His rather tame effort somehow beat Daniel Iversen, and the Foxes were behind once more – though they had shown signs of promise for the first time in months.
Some iconic commentary could have been replicated in the 35th minute though, as Harvey Barnes bagged an equaliser to bring his side level. Wout Faes had sent a ball over the top to the winger, who made his way past Ashley Young before firing an effort past Emi Martinez!
With the game level at half-time, the Foxes faithful likely felt they could have picked up at least a point from this contest – which could prove crucial in their fight against impending relegation. Ollie Watkins had the first chance of the half though as he looked to nod Emi Buendia’s cross past Iversen, but his header was straight into the arms of the Danish ‘keeper.
Leicester could have taken the lead a minute later though, as Harvey Barnes’ whipped ball into the area found Jamie Vardy – but the legendary striker couldn’t make contact and the chance sailed away for the Foxes!
With the exception of that early chance for Watkins, it had been a second half dominated by Leicester City – until Kieran Dewsbury-Hall picked up a yellow card with twenty-five minutes still to play. The midfielder’s challenge on Ashley Young was a rash one, and the referee was quick to jot his name down.
Alex Moreno came close to restoring Villa’s lead a few minutes later, as the full-back received the ball from Buendia before firing a thunderous strike towards goal – but it ricocheted off the crossbar! The Foxes had momentarily fell asleep, and bad turned to worse for them soon after as Kieran Dewsbury-Hall picked up a second yellow in six minutes – meaning they were down to ten men for the final twenty minutes of the match.
Villa could smell blood, and probed for a winner against the Foxes who seemed completely demoralised after that red card. Jacob Ramsey sent a shot over the crossbar from close range – but it was a poor connection that never looked to threaten Iversen.
Patson Data broke free a few minutes later and launched an effort towards goal from the edge of the box, but the Zambian’s strike was also sent over the bar! The Foxes were still searching, but Villa weren’t giving up easily either – and John McGinn could have bagged the winner soon after as his shot from the edge of the box was sent behind by Victor Kristiansen.
The visitors finally restored their lead in the 87th minute though, as Bertrand Traore did well to intercept a poor pass from Wilfred Ndidi, curling the ball past Daniel Iversen from 25 yards out to hand all three points to Unai Emery’s Aston Villa – or had he?
Harvey Barnes won a penalty for Leicester in the dying minutes of injury time, after he was brought down by Ollie Watkins inside the area as he looked to run onto Nampalys Mendy’s ball over the top. The referee awarded the Foxes one final chance from twelve yards out, but a VAR check found that Watkins had been fouled by Daka in the buildup, falling into Barnes as a result. Due to there being no malicious intent, the penalty was rescinded – and the Foxes fall to yet another defeat.
It’s a disappointing result for the Foxes who looked as if they could have picked up at least a point from this game, but Kieran Dewsbury-Hall’s dismissal in the 70th minute left them overwhelmed. There were signs of promise throughout their first-half performance though – but that won’t be enough to save them come the end of the season. Nine games remain for Leicester City to replicate their legendary ‘Great Escape’ of the 2014-15 season.
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