Villa Park was quiet, underwhelmed, frustrations boiling over in freezing weather, as Leicester repeatedly broke down the flow of Aston Villa attacks. Ross Barkley’s opener had been cancelled out by a counterattack strike that was all part of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s plan. An improved, dogged Leicester, better organised, more disciplined, as they sought to make up for their ruinous Christmas, ended up ruing another very preventable goal.
Just as Barkley’s strike had followed Jannik Vestergaard’s misdirected header, for the winner Jordan Ayew was robbed by Ian Maatsen. Leon Bailey was supplied his first goal of the season.
