Battling City Frustrated In Villa Reverse
Much like City’s Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur on Filbert Way just under a fortnight ago, it was often fraught and testy this time around too. Steve Cooper’s men, though, are still searching for a first top-flight victory with goals from Amadou Onana and Jhon Durán putting the game beyond the hosts on matchday three. A first Leicester goal for Facundo Buonanotte, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, gave the Blue Army hope in the latter moments, but it wasn’t to be. There were penalty appeals and disallowed goals, close calls and narrow misses. It wouldn’t fall for the Foxes, however, as the maiden international break of the season now commences.
Before the game, deadline day loan signing Odsonne Édouard arrived in LE2 to watch his new team-mates in action. Bilal El Khannouss, a permanent acquisition from Genk, was in the matchday squad, although supporters would have to wait for his introduction from the bench. Jordan Ayew and Oliver Skipp made their full Premier League debuts for the Club from the start alongside Caleb Okoli – recently called up by Italy following his summer switch from Atalanta. With nine new faces in the door, there is a fresh feel to this City squad, which could prove crucial come the end of the season. There was familiarity as well, with Jamie Vardy once again leading the line for the home side.
Two minutes in, a bouncing Filbert Way fell silent for a brief moment when the returning Youri Tielemans threaded the ball through to Ollie Watkins. Mads Hermansen, though, raced off his line and bravely pushed the ball away from the England striker’s feet. Watkins’ knee then collided with the City goalkeeper’s head, but the Dane was able to continue. It was an opportunity which also offered a reminder of Tielemans’ threat – the man whose wonderstrike ended Leicester’s 137 year wait for the FA Cup in 2021.
The Foxes’ class of 2024 were settling into the game, a first Midlands derby of the new Premier League campaign. There were encouraging moments from the new faces in the XI. Skipp had his sights fixed on the ball in the middle, especially for one raking challenge on Watkins. Ayew was an industrious force down the left flank, finding the pockets well. Okoli was a solid foundation in defence too. Nevertheless, Emery’s UEFA Champions League qualifiers undoubtedly created the better openings to start with. John McGinn curled wide from the right angle of the area on 20 minutes, before a brilliant one-handed stop from Hermansen was needed to prevent Watkins from slotting the ball into his far corner. Victor Kristiansen, on the other hand, dived in the way of Onana’s half-volley inside the 18-yard box.
It was a well-rehearsed free-kick routine which opened City up on 27 minutes. Tielemans tricked the home defence, feinting a cross but in fact slipping a galloping Ezri Konsa into space to cross for Onana to convert in the middle. Eager to seize on the initiative, Villa went in pursuit of a second, with Tielemans again putting the ball into Jacob Ramsey’s feet. Hermansen, mind you, was able to touch his shot around the post. Emiliano Martínez, the Argentina stopper in the Villa net, was put to the test for the first time with four minutes of the first half to play. Harry Winks’ free-kick was clever, dinked over the top of the backline. Okoli, starting alongside Wout Faes at the back, was the recipient, chesting the ball towards goal. An unusual way to go for goal, maybe, but Martínez still needed to scamper across his line to parry it away from danger. Skipp also curled a low daisy-cutter into the ‘keeper’s grasp before the interval.
There’d been a spice to the game since the start and that theme continued into the second half. Referee David Coote was certainly being kept busy. City, too, were beginning to turn the screw on Villa. Okoli’s long-range arrow was close, Ayew’s less so a few minutes later, but Cooper’s men had built on their improvement before the break. There was outrage in the stands on 57 minutes when Vardy’s tidy finish appeared to have City level – only for the home side to realise Coote had blown for a Leicester free-kick in the build-up. Once the whistle goes, there’s no going back, and Villa’s slim lead remained intact. It wasn’t quite as narrow moments later, though, when substitute Durán’s header looped over Hermansen from Lucas Digne’s cross. In a split second, City’s momentum appeared to have fizzled away. To their credit, it actually inspired a more fervent attack on Villa’s goal. Cooper’s response was to turn to his bench, with Stephy Mavididi, Buonanotte and debutant El Khannouss all summoned.
The subs made an instant impact and the arrears were halved with 17 minutes to play. Mavididi twisted Lamare Bogarde inside out on the left channel, clipping the ball into the six-yard box. It was a touch too high for Wilfred Ndidi to make any real connection with the ball. It was still live, however, and Buonanotte was alert to it, squeezing it through a packed area and beyond Martínez. A maiden LCFC goal for the Argentinian and a lifeline for the hosts. The key for City was keeping the pressure on. With that in mind, James Justin nodded Kristiansen’s free-kick over the bar. A last-ditch, emphatic sliding tackle from Okoli was all that prevented McGinn from charging down the middle unattended, mind you, with the visitors always primed to pounce on any opportunities to get upfield. At the start of seven added minutes, the home faithful were up in arms again when Tielemans’ challenge sent Vardy to the deck. Depending on your view, it was either just inside, or just outside the area, but the decision was in fact no foul at all. Coote was then pointing to the penalty spot in Leicester’s favour after Konsa’s foul on Vardy but, typically of City’s luck, the No.9 had strayed offside in the build-up. These are the fine margins of the Premier League, which Leicester must flip in their favour soon.