Ezri Konsa’s header was the 10th goal Leicester have let in from set-pieces this season – the top flight’s joint highest
Ezri Konsa scored twice as Aston Villa came from behind to return to winning ways under new boss Steven Gerrard by beating Leicester in an exciting Premier League encounter.
Having suffered defeat for the first time in Gerrard’s embryonic reign at home to Manchester City in midweek, Villa again fell behind to Harvey Barnes’ opener for the Foxes.
However, defender Konsa touched home Emi Buendia’s header to equalise almost immediately and nodded home a deep second-half corner to make it three wins from four since Gerrard took charge.
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Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers dropped Jamie Vardy to hand Patson Daka a first Premier League start and the Zambia striker set up Barnes to coolly slot through Konsa’s legs and past Emi Martinez.
The advantage lasted just three minutes, Buendia craning his neck muscles to propel Matty Cash’s cushioned header towards the bottom corner, with Konsa poking home to make sure.
Villa thought they were ahead on the stroke of half-time as Kasper Schmeichel parried another Cash knockdown and Jacob Ramsey fired home but the keeper had one hand on the grounded ball and Michael Oliver correctly ruled the goal out after a check from the video assistant referee.
In the end, it mattered little as Konsa punished Leicester’s ongoing set-piece shortcomings by nodding home John McGinn’s corner to push Villa above the Foxes into 10th place.
Villa should have won by more as Ollie Watkins and Ramsey wasted glorious chances on the break although the hosts needed a fantastic fingertip save from Martinez to thwart a Barnes header and seal the points.
Gerrard gets one over on his former boss
Rodgers was the manager who famously almost led Liverpool to an elusive top-flight title during Gerrard’s playing career – and the student now has two wins out of three over the teacher after swapping Old Firm victories in the sole season their managerial stints at Celtic and Rangers overlapped.
That scenario looked unlikely early on at Villa Park, with the hosts frequently over-run by a frenetic Foxes start that was deservedly rewarded by Barnes’ excellently-taken opener.
But after Villa got back on terms, the game became an end-to-end affair that they ultimately gained control of as proceedings wore on.
Leicester still had their moments as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall headed a great chance wide and James Maddison saw a goal-bound shot blocked by the all-action Cash, who was himself foiled by Schmeichel’s legs at the other end.
However, the Foxes’ failings from set-plays – with 10 league goals conceded from such situations this term – again cost them as Konsa nodded in almost unchallenged.
Villa had been fuming at half-time after Ramsey’s effort was disallowed but Oliver’s decision was correct as the laws of the game state the goalkeeper is deemed to be in possession if the ball is between his hands and the surface.
Jacob Ramsey’s goal was disallowed because Kasper Schmeichel had one hand on the grounded ball
They quickly put the disappointment behind them and were on top for the majority of the second half, with only Barnes’ late header and a Maddison effort that curled inches wide providing any alarms.
Leicester, meanwhile, have won just three of their past 12 in the league and must fix the defensive woes that have seen them fail to keep a clean sheet since the opening day.
Player of the match
McGinnJohn McGinn
with an average of 8.12
- Aston VillaAston VillaAston VillaLeicesterLeicester CityLeicester City
Aston VillaAvgSquad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
8.12
Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
7.77
Squad number19Player nameNakambaAverage rating
7.76
Squad number1Player nameMartínezAverage rating
7.58
Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
7.41
Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
7.39
Squad number10Player nameBuendíaAverage rating
7.20
Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
7.09
Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating
7.08
Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
7.02
Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating
6.97
Squad number33Player nameChukwuemekaAverage rating
6.92
Squad number8Player nameSansonAverage rating
6.57
Squad number16Player nameTuanzebeAverage rating
6.48
Leicester CityAvgSquad number7Player nameBarnesAverage rating
5.84
Squad number29Player nameDakaAverage rating
5.48
Squad number10Player nameMaddisonAverage rating
5.27
Squad number25Player nameNdidiAverage rating
5.09
Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-HallAverage rating
5.05
Squad number6Player nameEvansAverage rating
4.79
Squad number27Player nameCastagneAverage rating
4.71
Squad number33Player nameThomasAverage rating
4.70
Squad number9Player nameVardyAverage rating
4.68
Squad number4Player nameSöyüncüAverage rating
4.49
Squad number1Player nameSchmeichelAverage rating
4.42
Squad number37Player nameLookmanAverage rating
4.17
Squad number17Player nameAyoze PérezAverage rating
3.85
Squad number14Player nameIheanachoAverage rating
3.71
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsAston Villa
Formation 4-3-3
1Martínez2Cash4Konsa5Mings18Young7McGinn19Nakamba6Douglas Luiz41J Ramsey11Watkins10Buendía
- 1Martínez2Cash4Konsa5Mings18Young7McGinn19NakambaBooked at 55mins6Douglas LuizSubstituted forSansonat 77’minutes41J RamseySubstituted forTuanzebeat 84’minutes11Watkins10BuendíaSubstituted forChukwuemekaat 78’minutes
Substitutes
- 8Sanson12Steer16Tuanzebe21El Ghazi30Hause32Philogene-Bidace33Chukwuemeka39Davis47Iroegbunam
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Schmeichel27Castagne6Evans4Söyüncü33Thomas22Dewsbury-Hall25Ndidi37Lookman10Maddison7Barnes29Daka
- 1Schmeichel27Castagne6Evans4Söyüncü33Thomas22Dewsbury-HallSubstituted forIheanachoat 86’minutes25Ndidi37LookmanSubstituted forVardyat 65’minutes10MaddisonBooked at 90mins7Barnes29DakaSubstituted forPérezat 78’minutes
Substitutes
- 9Vardy11Albrighton12Ward14Iheanacho17Pérez20Choudhury23Vestergaard38Daley-Campbell42Soumaré
Referee:Michael OliverAttendance:41,572Match StatsHome TeamAston VillaAway TeamLeicesterPossessionHome40%Away60%ShotsHome13Away12Shots on TargetHome4Away5CornersHome3Away6FoulsHome8Away25Live TextPost update
Match ends, Aston Villa 2, Leicester City 1.
90’+5’Full Time
Second Half ends, Aston Villa 2, Leicester City 1.
90’+4’Post update
Foul by Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City).
90’+4’Post update
Carney Chukwuemeka (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90’+4’Post update
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
90’+4’Post update
Foul by Marvelous Nakamba (Aston Villa).
90’+2’Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Ashley Young.
90’+2’Post update
Attempt blocked. Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Çaglar Söyüncü with a cross.
90’Booking
James Maddison (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90’Post update
Foul by James Maddison (Leicester City).
90’Post update
Carney Chukwuemeka (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89’Post update
Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
89’Post update
Foul by Ashley Young (Aston Villa).
89’Post update
Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89’Post update
Foul by John McGinn (Aston Villa).
88’Post update
Foul by Jonny Evans (Leicester City).
88’Post update
Ashley Young (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
87’Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Marvelous Nakamba.
86’Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Tyrone Mings.
86’Substitution
Substitution, Leicester City. Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
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Source: bbc.com
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