Leicester 1 - 0 Aston VillaPaul Konchesky 45 +0:14
Aston Villa fans cranked up the pressure on their manager as they chanted ‘We want Lambert out’ and ‘We want our Villa back’ after they slipped back to within two points of the relegation zone by drawing yet another blank.
Leicester City made it four games unbeaten, their best run this season, thanks to Paul Konchesky’s goal just before half time to move within two points of 17th place and no-one could argue that they didn’t deserve their win, only their second at home this season.
Passions spilled over in stoppage time when Ciaran Clark and Matty James were both sent off – James for an over-the-top tackle on Jores Okore, Clark for a second caution for his reaction – and Clark attempted to keep the fight going towards the tunnel.
Leicester’s faith in Nigel Pearson, who went 13 games and three months without a win after that memorable 5-3 triumph over Manchester United in September, is looking vindicated as his team continue to play without fear and with every chance of making a good fist of staying up.
But, with expectations higher across in the West Midlands, Villa fans have run out of patience with their manager who, after two and a half years at the helm, has seen his team go six games without victory since beating Leicester at Villa Park last month in a season in which they have scored a mere 11 goals from their 21 games.
They only managed one shot on target in today’s match, Christian Benteke’s weak shot saved early in the second half, as they were unable to build on a bright start and were in danger of losing more heavily that then they did.
Leicester made it seven points from three league games, in addition to last week’s FA Cup victory over Newcastle United, as they finished the first half strongly.
Villa, with Ashley Westwood playing excellently alongside the powerful Carlos Sánchez in the centre of midfield, had been the better team early on without threatening in the final third.
When David Nugent smashed a superb shot against the underside of the crossbar three minutes before half time, and Leonardo Ulloa headed over, Villa’s resistances looked in danger of breaking.
Sure enough Leicester made the all-important breakthrough when Konchesky scored with a cracking shot. Danny Simpson’s throw from the right-hand side was nodded on by Nugent for Ulloa to chest and volley on and over himself into the area where, with Alan Hutton only managing half a clearance, Konchesky arrived to swivel and hammer in a fine strike off Brad Guzan’s right-hand post.
This must have felt like justice for Konchesky, who had been sent off in the 2-1 defeat at Villa Park five weeks ago when he nuzzled foreheads with Hutton only to be sent off shortly after the Villa full-back had scored the winning goal.
Leicester are at home again next week, to Stoke City, when Pearson hopes to have Andrej Kramaric available after the £9.5 million Croatian striker’s work permit hearing. For Lambert, as Villa prepare to host Liverpool, he will just hope he is still in work.
Guardian
