Aston Villa 1-2 Leicester: Foxes go second in Premier League through Maddison and Barnes strikes

Any three of the London’s biggest sides could have had Brendan Rodgers managing them by now but they went for seemingly more exotic options instead. They’re paying a price.

Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham sink into an ever deepening pit. Thomas Tuchel unfathomably humiliates Callum Hudson-Odoi at Southampton. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal flat-line. And Leicester sail on towards a Champions League place, continuing to do more than any other side to keep the semblance of a title race alive.

It helped them that Jack Grealish was missing a Premier League match here for the first time since November 2019. Aston Villa were hopelessly lost without him. They looked doomed to defeat even before the two goals in the space of four minutes which put Leicester two ahead inside a blistering first half hour. 

James Maddison was on the score-sheet again as Leicester beat Aston Villa 2-1 on Sunday

The Englishman fired in the bottom corner from outside the box, giving the Foxes the lead 

Villa pushed hard for an equaliser but just looked to be missing a spark without Jack Grealish

But this is not a story of one man’s absence. Leicester’s were masters of their own destiny; overwhelming Villa’s midfield in that first half and exchanging the ball on pure instinct in the final third. Confidence, mutual understanding, speed on the ball, intense pressing and a plan: this is what Rodgers brings.

James Maddison did enough before departing with a sore hip on the hour mark to add himself to selection headache the watching Gareth Southgate has when it comes to the England No 10 position. Everything Phil Foden does, Maddison matches. His goal – a shot bent around Tyrone Mings and beyond the outstretched left hand of Emiliano Martinez – was of the highest order. That’s seven goals and five assists in the last 14 games.

But it is in the rapid development of Harvey Barnes that you really see Rodgers’ recent influence. Public reprimands of the Tuchel kind are not this manager’s style, though he did reveal last month that he had asked the 23-year-old to get into more goal-scoring positions and take more risks.

The results are visible, in a player running at defenders in an old-fashioned way. The back-heel flick of a ball over his head which sent him into a run down the left in the second half was an exquisite moment. Ahmed El Mohamady took a yellow card for his illegible attempts to halt it. 

Winger Harvey Barnes struck four minutes after Maddison’s opener, pouncing on a rebound 

The Foxes star was a threat throughout the match and continued his stunning form this season

And, like Maddison, Barnes is bringing goals in a way which reduces the Jamie Vardy dependency. He still had work to do after Martinez had uncharacteristically spilt a Vardy shot at his feet but he pounced to score Leicester’s second with very little goal to aim at.

‘It’s such a delight to see him because when he’s in full flow there’s not many better – so direct and fast,’ Rodgers said of Barnes last night. ‘And he’s only going to get better. It’s a joy to watch. That’s why we’re here as coaches – to maximise their talents.’

Rodgers’ deployment of Ricardo Pereira in a surprisingly advanced right-sided position in front of Tim Castagne, also worked effectively for Leicester. The Portuguese’s deployment on that flank allowed 19-year-old Luke Thomas to start at left back, where he looked assured. Pereira was clearly comfortable coming inside and running at defenders.

For Dean Smith, the first half provided a grim sense of what a world without Grealish might look like. Ross Barkley’s heart did not look in it. Douglas Luiz was overwhelmed by Maddison. There was no service for Ollie Watkins, who missed the captain more than him anyone.

Villa also lacked the defensive intensity you require against a strike force as incisive as this. Maddison should have been challenged before scoring his goal. El Mohamady was slow to respond for the second. It was a rare poor afternoon from the usually immaculate Martinez. 

Bertrand Traore scored Villa’s goal, sliding in before clashing with Kasper Schmeichel

The final chance of the game fell to Tyrone Mings, whose header went just wide of the goal 

Leicester’s prospects of finishing in the top-four were strengthened by this valuable victory

‘Their big players turned up to play. Our big players hadn’t,’ Smith reflected in the aftermath. ‘I gave them a rocket at half time to get them lifted and more aggressive.’

Some of his players did show some resistance, including Matt Targett who played a major part in the Villa goal, just after the break, which Bertrand Traore swept in. McGinn put in a shift, as he always does.

Villa did find some second half tempo, with substitute Trezeguet a better option than Anwar El Ghazi in Grealish’s place. The 19-year-old Jacob Ramsey brought good energy when he replaced Barkley. But while Villa pushed to the last, with a late Mings header angle wide, there was little real threat to Kasper Schmeichel. Leicester reverted to a defensive mode to keep Villa out

The coming weeks will certainly test the depth of Leicester, with seven games in a month but Rodgers has a squad, a philosophy and an air of belief that suggests they are up to task. He passed up the chance to discuss Champions League qualification last night. ‘Everyone knows what it brings to a club and a community,’ he said. ‘But we’re a long way out from the finish yet.’

RELIVE ALL THE ACTION BY SCROLLING DOWN