Full TimePosted at 90’+5′ Second Half ends, Leicester City 1, Aston Villa 2.Post updatePenalty overturnedPosted at 90’+5′ Penalty Leicester City. Harvey Barnes draws a foul in the penalty area.Post updateAttempt blockedPosted at 90’+4′ Attempt blocked. Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.Post updateCornerPosted at 90’+4′ Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Matty Cash.
Leicester City’s relegation fears intensified following a dramatic late loss to in-form Aston Villa at King Power Stadium. The Foxes appeared to be on their way to a valuable point in their first match since sacking Brendan Rodgers, despite Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall being sent off. Ollie Watkins marked his 100th Premier League appearance by slotting Villa ahead with his eighth goal in 10 appearances after being sent through by Emiliano Buendia.
Villa had only conceded once in their previous five games, but their defense was broken by Harvey Barnes’ excellent finish after he shrugged off Ashley Young and cut in from the wing following Wout Faes’ raking pass. Dewsbury-Hall was sent off midway through the second half for a second bookable offence, but the Foxes held on until Bertrand Traore curled in Villa’s 87th-minute winner.
Leicester were then awarded a 92nd-minute penalty, only for referee Graham Scott to overturn his decision after looking at a replay on the pitchside monitor. The Foxes are now without a manager and remain in the relegation zone, two points from safety, after this agonising defeat.
The alarm bells are ringing at the King Power seven years after Leicester’s extraordinary Premier League title triumph. With just nine games remaining, Leicester’s fate remains in their own hands with five matches against teams near the bottom – starting with Saturday’s visit of 18th-placed Bournemouth. Whether they will have appointed a permanent replacement for Rodgers by then remains to be seen, but the Foxes desperately need to start picking up points.
Leicester City’s starting XI included Iversen (5.35), Castagne (5.21), Souttar (5.37), Faes (5.33), Kristiansen (5.24), Mendy (5.21), Ndidi (4.88), Dewsbury-Hall (4.86), Maddison (5.79), Vardy (4.96) and Barnes (5.94). Substitutes included Daka (4.72) and Ricardo Pereira (4.38). Aston Villa’s starting XI included E Martínez (7.33), Young (7.08), Konsa (6.97), Mings (7.30), Álex Moreno (7.26), J Ramsey (7.11), McGinn (8.18), Douglas Luiz (7.29), Buendía (7.55), Bailey (6.75) and Watkins (8.04). Substitutes included Traoré (8.12), Chambers (7.35), Durán (7.38) and Digne (7.13).
The game was officiated by referee Graham Scott, with an attendance of 32,087 people. Leicester City fans rated their players out of 10 throughout or after the game, with ratings ranging from 1 to 10, while 1 representing ‘give it up’ and 10 representing ‘pure perfection’.
Leicester City now face a crucial nine-game stretch in their fight against relegation, starting with a visit from Bournemouth this Saturday. With their fate still in their own hands, the Foxes must start picking up points if they are to avoid the drop this season.