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Aston Villa v Leicester

Aston Villa 1

Gestede 75′

Leicester 1

Okazaki 28′

FT 90 +6
HT 0-1

Shinji Okazaki is congratulated after scoring Leicester's opener against Aston Villa

All of Shinji Okazaki’s five goals for Leicester have come away from home

By Tim Peach
BBC Sport

Leicester City returned to the top of the Premier League with a draw at bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa.

Shinji Okazaki opened the scoring for City, reacting quickest to poke home after keeper Mark Bunn had athletically clawed out Jamie Vardy’s lob.

Riyad Mahrez missed a chance to double the lead after Leicester were awarded a controversial penalty for handball.

But Villa striker Rudy Gestede levelled after his second-half shot deflected past keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Rudy Gestede is congratulated after scoring Aston Villa's equaliser against Leicester City

Gestede’s goal was Villa’s eighth in 11 Premier League games under Remi Garde

Leicester are now a point clear of Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the table, but the Gunners will go back to the top if they get a point against Stoke on Sunday.

Villa’s fighting spirit

It might be over-exaggerating to say Villa have turned the corner after

their fans’ furious reaction

to the draw with Wycombe in the third round of the FA Cup, but after manager Remi Garde’s

first win in midweek,

there will be more optimism around Villa Park now.

Whereas in previous fixtures heads had dropped after going behind, on Saturday Villa continued fighting and they had more of the ball and won more battles than the league leaders.

They still have defensive frailties, none more obvious than when Vardy was afforded time to get onto the end of Schmeichel’s long clearance.

Bunn may have backtracked well to keep out his lob, but his defenders were too slow to the rebound, letting Okazaki in for the opener.

Leicester’s stars dimming?

The success of Claudio Ranieri’s men so far this season has primarily been built around two key men, Vardy and Mahrez.

Between them they have 28 goals and 10 assists in the Premier League, and while Vardy – who has just come back from a minor operation – did well for Leicester’s goal, he did not look as sharp as when on his record-breaking streak earlier in the season, and missed a chance to win it in stoppage time when he fired over from a tight angle.

Mahrez’s weak penalty – his second missed penalty in a row – will be a frustration to his manager, as will Leicester’s inability to finish the game when in front.

Paying the penalty?

The main talking point of the first half was Leicester’s penalty decision. It was the assistant referee who flagged for Aly Cissokho’s handball, but it simply added to the recent confusion over the rule.

Riyad Mahrez's shot was blocked by Aly Cissokho's hand, after which the penalty was given

Cissokho claimed that his arm was up in self-defence

The Villa defender had dived in to block Mahrez’s shot from a couple of yards, but the ball struck his arm up by his face with Cissokho facing the other way.

The official FA rules state: handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with his hand or arm. The referee must take the following into consideration:

the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)

the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)

the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an infringement

The home side had their own strong claim for a penalty in the second half when Leicester defender Robert Huth wrapped his arm around Libor Kozak’s head to get to a cross first, but the referee turned down the appeal.

Man of the match – Mark Bunn (Aston Villa)

Bunn, who has replaced Brad Guzan as first choice, saved a penalty which might have turned the game

What they said

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri:

“Yes, we lost two points. We started very well and scored a goal but after the missed penalty the Aston Villa players took a new energy.

“If we score a second goal, we close the match. We are very sad but also I say to the players ‘if we make the performance the result is not important’.

“It’s one point, it’s OK, it’s a derby – but we are disappointed.”

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde:

“If you look at the two games we’ve played we can be pleased about the spirit. These players have the right attitude to try to save the club from relegation. Sometimes it takes time.

“If there is pre-season it’s because it’s useful and when you don’t have pre-season to work with your team it’s more difficult. I didn’t have this time and when I arrived the team had lost seven games in a row.

“I know my face was new in the dressing room – my language as well – but it doesn’t take hours to put it right.”

The stats you need to know

Shinji Okazaki has now scored five goals for Leicester City in all competitions, all of them coming away from home.

The Foxes have now been top of the Premier League table for 33 days this season, the same number of days that Spurs have been top of the PL table since its inception in 1992 (based on end of days).

Rudy Gestede scored his first Premier League goal in 10 appearances for Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Aston Villa have seen a substitute score on just three occasions in the Premier League since 22 September 2013 – two of those have been scored by Gestede.

The Foxes’ run of six hours and 11 minutes without conceding a Premier League goal was ended by Gestede’s goal.

What’s next?

Both sides have FA Cup third round replays to take care of. Aston Villa host League Two Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday night, while Leicester are at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (5)

Aston Villa

31 Bunn Booked
07 Bacuna Booked
05 Okore
16 Lescott
43 Cissokho Booked
17 Veretout
08 Gueye
15 Westwood
25 Gil (Gestede – 67′ )
27 Kozák
19 J Ayew (Sinclair – 95′ )

Substitutes

01 Guzan
04 Richards
06 Clark
09 Sinclair
18 Richardson
38 Lyden
39 Gestede

Leicester City

01 Schmeichel
17 Simpson
05 Morgan
06 Huth Booked
28 Fuchs
26 Mahrez (Ulloa – 69′ )
14 Kanté
04 Drinkwater
11 Albrighton (Gray – 85′ )
20 Okazaki (de Laet – 59′ )
09 Vardy Booked

Substitutes

02 de Laet
10 King
22 Gray
23 Ulloa
27 Wasilewski
32 Schwarzer
33 Inler

Ref: Roger East

Att: 32,763

Match Stats

Possession

56

44

Shots

14

12

On target

5

5

Corners

3

4

Fouls

13

15

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Aston Villa 1, Leicester City 1.

90:00 +5:15 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Aston Villa 1, Leicester City 1.

90:00 +4:38 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Aston Villa. Scott Sinclair replaces Jordan Ayew.

90:00 +2:54

Libor Kozák (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.

90:00 +2:54

Foul by Christian Fuchs (Leicester City).

90:00 +0:16

Attempt missed. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Daniel Drinkwater with a through ball.