After a frenetic and bruising encounter with reigning champions Manchester City last time out, Villa welcomed Leicester to Villa Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Foxes made the short journey across the Midlands on the back of an underwhelming performance as they drew with Southampton in midweek.
Despite a blemish being cast on Steven Gerrard’s record on Wednesday night, Villa could take great encouragement from a relentless second half performance which perhaps warranted a point against a team of superstars.
In the build-up to the weekend’s fixture, the media did their best, for obvious reasons, to drum up a rivalry between Gerrard and his former boss Brendan Rodgers. If any pair of managers are diplomatic and professional enough to play down the noise, though, it is these two.
Two changes apiece
Villa had lost some key men in Matt Targett and Leon Bailey to injury in the week and Gerrard once more turned to the reliable Ashley Young, whilst Jacob Ramsey stepped in after a week off.
For the visitors, Boubakary Soumaré and the ever troublesome Jamie Vardy were dropped to the bench. For the highly-rated French midfielder, his below-par performance against the Saints saw local lad Kieran Dewsbury-Hall get the nod this time out, whilst the legendary forward Vardy will have his minutes managed by Brendan Rodgers ahead of the busy festive period. Clinical second choice forward Patson Daka led the line in his place.
Remembering Arthur
This week a story of a glowing young lad from the West Midlands named Arthur had gripped the nation and all present at Villa Park on Sunday marked his gut-wrenchingly cruel passing with a beautiful moment of solidarity.
When presented with such chilling news, things such as football seem absolutely elementary and at the weekend the footballing world stood together with great solidarity in remembrance for Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
After an emotional minute’s applause for the young Birmingham City fan the game resumed.
Foxes firing early on
Steven Gerrard’s men will have been hoping to carry the momentum from the barnstorming second half against Manchester City, but it was the side in a striking shade of grey that set pulses racing early on.
James Maddison, who for once did not play the lead role of pantomime villain, and Patson Daka both went close early on as Villa made a slow start.
The lively Harvey Barnes, who is swiftly becoming one of them players who makes a habit in punishing Aston Villa, scored his second goal at Villa Park in as many years. The tricky wideman caught Villa cold and teased Ezri Konsa before sliding the ball into the far corner after 14 minutes.
Set-piece precision
It did not take the hosts long to restore parity, however, and as is becoming almost inevitable, it came from a set-piece. Douglas Luiz whipped in a tempting delivery, and after a brief outbreak of head-tennis the smallest player in the box Emi Buendía nodded towards goal.
Ezri Konsa, who two seasons ago had a goal cruelly taken off him and awarded to Tyrone Mings, got the faintest of touches to ensure that the ball would beat a diving Kasper Schmeichel.
The Danish stopper seemed certain that the goal would not stand, but a quick VAR check showed that Konsa was onside by at least two yards.
In control?
Under Gerrard, Villa have been happy to concede possession to their opponents and pick their moments to steal the ball and attack at pace, but after drawing level, the claret and blue side took on a greater share of the ball.
Both Matty Cash and Douglas Luiz were denied, whilst the Foxes still caused problems on the break, with Barnes, Maddison and Daka looking particularly dangerous.
On the balance of play both sides would have been satisfied with the 1-1 score line at the break then, although Leicester had slightly shaded it. That was until added time, when Aston Villa scored what seemed initially like a perfectly good goal.
After an intricate move down the left hand side, the ball was hung up enticingly at the back stick. Matty Cash rose above Luke Thomas and headed across goal. Schmeichel saved unconvincingly as the ball broke loose in the six-yard box. Both Schmeichel and young midfielder Jacob Ramsey launched themselves at a 50/50 and it was the Villa man who came out on top to lash home.
Denmark’s number one turned around to watch the ball hit the North Stand net, before falling to the ground with an injury. Michael Oliver had deemed the goal to be fine, but Paul Tierney at Stockley Park insisted the Leicester number one had control of the ball and thus a foul should be awarded.
As with the Rodri offside for Silva’s goal last year at the Etihad, this incident led to a discussion on whether the laws of the game were interpreted correctly, where nobody quite seemed to have the answer. Even BBC Match of the Day 2’s pundits could not work out how the goal had been disallowed, but alas Oliver’s final decision was made.
A half-time rollicking
Villa galvanised during the break, as gaffer Gerrard got “on the players backs at half-time”. This shows the high standards set by the former Rangers manager, who was furious with a performance which was far from poor.
With the Liverpudlian’s words ringing in their ears, the side came out with a renewed intensity and deservedly took the lead nine minutes into the second period.
The innovation of Austin MacPhee from set-pieces was once more apparent, as Villa set up with five players crowded around the Leicester goal. A looping delivery from McGinn found one of the five men. It was Ezri Konsa who squeezed a header past a despairing Kasper Schmeichel.
The Newham-born number four became the first Villa defender to net a brace for the Villans in the Premier League since Ciaran Clark’s double in a 2010 defeat to Arsenal.
Aston Villa could have been out of sight, as Ollie Watkins was denied well before Ramsey blazed over from close range, whilst Watkins also had a goal ruled out after a coming together with Johnny Evans. Leicester, on the other hand, had not got going after the break but could still have drawn level when Emi Martínez stretched to claw a well-directed Harvey Barnes header over the bar.
Old foes pacified
Jamie Vardy arrived on the scene, then came Ayoze Pérez, before Rodgers turned to Kelechi Iheanacho with his final change. Players who usually torment Villa so regularly could not cause the B6 side any real strife and a savvy defensive display ensured that the three points would stay in the Second City.
Once more Marvelous Nakamba was impressive in midfield against the roaming Maddison, whilst Cash, Watkins, McGinn, Konsa and Buendía also stood out. And with Konsa’s brace, Villa are now finding that their goals are coming from a variety of sources, which is the sign of a top side without reliance on key men to bail them out of trouble. In all competitions 14 players have now found the net for the Villans this season.
Steven Gerrard’s men are really starting to gather pace in their assault on the top-half of the table with a busy Christmas schedule lying ahead. A third win from four games marks an extremely impressive start to Gerrard’s Villa career. The gaffer returns to his old stomping ground next week, in a game which is sure to test the ever-improving Villans.
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