Barnes: Now We Can Kick On

- Harvey Barnes responds to Leicester City's 4-0 success over Aston Villa on Monday night
- Barnes, 22, netted a brace for the Foxes at King Power Stadium
- The Academy graduate says City can now 'look forward' to the remaining nine games
- His personal tally for the season is seven goals in all competitions, six of which have come in 2020

The 22-year-old's brace, combined with another double from Jamie Vardy, sealed City's 16th league victory of the 2019/20 campaign, strengthening their third-place standing in the table.

Barnes has now scored seven times in all competitions this season, six of which have come following the turn of the year, and the Academy graduate is delighted to see his hard work go rewarded in front of goal.

"It was a very enjoyable night, for myself and the team," Barnes told LCFC TV at full-time. "It’s the first time I’ve scored two goals in a game so, for me, I’m obviously very happy with that.

"I thought the team was a lot better today. It was a scrappy start to the game. We obviously got a goal just before half-time and then, in the second half, I thought we were very good.

"A lot of people are talking about the other teams picking up points, and we haven’t been, but I think tonight was just more about ourselves.

"We know recently results haven’t been good enough, so it was just about getting that first win back on the table and then, from now, we can just kick on.

"I’ve been saying throughout the season that, stats-wise, I wanted to get more goals and obviously, since the turn of the year, they’ve been flying in.

"I’m very happy with that, but I think today it’s just about enjoying the three points and now looking forward."

Barnes' first of the night saw him move the ball around Villa goalkeeper Pepe Reina, finishing well under pressure, before a ruthless second wrapped up City's scoring on the night.  

"It was a strange one," Barnes said, reflecting on his opener. "You see him [Reina] coming out and a lot of the time, you tend to go over the ‘keeper and lob him, but I just saw the little gap to go round.

"Then, obviously, it’s just about keeping your head and finding the target. Thankfully, the ball’s gone in the net. [For the second], with Sharky (Marc Albrighton) you know he’s going to cross it.

"Obviously, the gap’s just opened up for me to go into and I just knew it was just about getting a good contact on the ball.

"It’s found its way into the near post. It’s just about, in those positions, getting a good contact and, a lot of time, the ball does it itself."