Villa Park was quiet, disappointed, frustrations boiling in the freezing weather, as Leicester repeatedly interrupted the flow of Aston Villa’s attacks. Ross Barkley’s opener was canceled out by a counter-attack which was part of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s plan.
An improved and tenacious Leicester, better organized, more disciplined, as they sought to make up for a wasted Christmas, ended up lamenting two more very avoidable goals. Just as Barkley’s strike followed Jannik Vestergaard’s misdirected header, Jordan Ayew’s winner was robbed by Ian Maatsen, and after a quick exchange with compatriot Emi Buendía, Leon Bailey was gifted a redemption goal.
In such moments, an effective game plan was wasted. After working alongside Erik ten Hag and then briefly succeeding him at Manchester United, Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester inherited his former manager’s habit of raining down shots on his goalkeeper, conceding on average more than 19 per match. Van Nistelrooy’s legacy from the fallen Steve Cooper was a bottom-three team. There have been few twists and turns from Ruud’s manager, his first win against West Ham a fading memory in the face of four consecutive defeats at Christmas.
In the defeat, there were signs of a learning experience from someone who still had a few miles to go. In a stadium where he once enjoyed himself as a striker, he had strengthened his team’s defense. The plan was to see what might come next from there, with Jamie Vardy poking around in front, waiting for his moment to arrive as it must.
Van Nistelrooy had at least recognized the disadvantages of facing so much fire. This time the count was reduced to 13; better but still not enough. This helped in dealing with a blunt Aston Villa. Unai Emery without two of Villa’s stars this season, Morgan Rogers and Jhon Durán, in danger of suspension. Villa are bearing the brunt of a match-packed campaign at home and abroad. Although Villa Park have now gone nineteen matches without the home fans seeing defeat, away form has them stuck in mid-table.
A Midlands derby where Leicester supporters reminded their western rivals of their superior achievements over the past three decades, began with little fire. Leicester would not overcommit while Villa, lacking the energy and movement of Rogers, were restless, too many straight lines, too much sterile possession, playing as if weighed down by heavy winter wool.
Villa’s first chance also betrayed their lack of swing, Bailey slipping before Ollie Watkins’ scuffed shot was saved by Jakub Stolarczyk. The loss of John McGinn after 19 minutes with a hamstring problem was a blow, highlighting the tightrope walking of overworked players at this stage of the season.
Leicester looked more likely amid little entertainment as Bilal El Khannouss drilled through to ball his shot into the Holte End. If Van Nistelrooy might have been pleased with Leicester’s improved defensive discipline, the first half ended with Stolarczyk’s save from Matty Cash, an omen of what might follow.
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The type of chance Leicester were waiting for arrived early, with El Khannouss’s run past Emi Martínez allowing Stephy Mavididi to score an open goal, only for the winger to go completely wrong on the angles. It signaled an opening, with Villa trying to service Watkins even though Bailey looked disconnected, a far cry from last season’s form.
Eventually, the pressure – and the concession of more shots – showed and Barkley moved past the perhaps invisible Stolarczyk after Vestergaard’s mistake. It was a lead Villa did not maintain for long, as Jordan Ayew, against the club he left unloved eight years ago, curled home a cross. Vardy was waiting and when Emi Martínez saved, Mavididi converted a much more difficult chance than his previous error.
A few routines from Austin MacPhee, Villa’s version of the Arsenal linebacker blitz, seemed their most likely path to victory, but the goal came from open play, Maatsen’s perfect execution of pressing a lax opponent. Subsequently, and worryingly for Van Nistelrooy, more shots began to rain on Villa. A refreshed Bailey slammed the crossbar before Buendía and Watkins went close in the same sequence and Watkins then left Buendía for a miss that kept Leicester in a contest they felt could have delivered more.
