Aston Villa 2 - 1 Leicester CityAston Villa: Leandro Bacuna 68, Scott Sinclair 89
Leicester City: Andrej Kramaric 90 +0:27
This was supposed to be a watching brief for Tim Sherwood but the new Aston Villa manager is not the sort of man to spend half-time enjoying tea and cake in the boardroom. Sat in the director’s box alongside Tom Fox, Villa’s chief executive, and Paddy Reilly, the club’s director of recruitment, Sherwood made an impromptu visit to the home dressing room at the interval and his words of wisdom had the desired effect after a woeful first half.
Inspired by Sherwood’s pep-talk, Villa looked a much different proposition in the second half, when they played with far more conviction. After shuffling uncomfortably in his seat for the majority of the opening 45 minutes – Scott Marshall, the first-team coach, had been tasked with picking the team and sitting in the dugout – Sherwood was able to enjoy himself after the restart as goals from Leandro Bacuna and Scott Sinclair secured Villa’s place in the last eight of the FA Cup.
At times it was more interesting watching Sherwood than what was happening on the pitch. High up in the Trinity Road stand, Paul Lambert’s replacement was already on his feet when Bacuna started to glide across the penalty area before curling a sumptuous shot into the far corner. Moments later the 46-year-old was holding both hands aloft and wearing a grin from ear to ear. When Sinclair doubled Villa’s lead late on the celebration was even more animated as Sherwood indulged in a little shadow boxing.
Leicester, however, were not finished and landed a blow of their own in injury-time when Andrej Kramaric, with a superb header from Jeffrey Schlupp’s left-wing cross, beat Shay Given. Sherwood was no longer looking quite so relaxed and although he got up to leave his seat before the end, he watched the final few seconds stood in the stairway, looking on rather anxiously as Leicester desperately tried to salvage something from the game.
It was not to be and the final whistle was met with huge cheers as Sherwood turned on his heel. This was not a convincing display by any stretch and there were moments in the first half in particular when Sherwood could have been forgiven for wondering what sort of job he has taken on at Villa Park, but the former Tottenham Hotspur manager can now look forward to an FA Cup quarter-final and approach Saturday’s Premier League game against Stoke all the better for the insight that this performance has given him.
If the second half is an indication of what we can expect from the man who agreed a three-year deal on Saturday, Villa will play with more pace and purpose under his watch. It was alarming just how pedestrian Villa looked in the first half and Sherwood could be seen throwing his arms around in exasperation at times. Mark Schwarzer, Leicester’s 42-year-old goalkeeper, had next to nothing to do in that period and but for a wonderful save at the other end, Villa would have found themselves behind.
Given was making only his fourth Villa appearance of the season – Brad Guzan is the first choice - but on this evidence the Republic of Ireland international remains a top-class goalkeeper. The 38-year-old saved bravely at Kramaric’s feet in the second half, but it was the one-handed stop that denied Matty James in the 12th minute that took the breath away. The midfielder’s ferocious left-footed strike was heading for the top corner until Given, stretching every sinew, tipped the ball around the post.
Marcin Wasilewski, with a glancing header, also hit the upright in the opening half but Nigel Pearson’s side badly lost their way after the interval. While playing with five at the back in midweek against Arsenal made sense, it seemed strange that Pearson should retain that system against a toothless Villa side. Leandro Ulloa was introduced in the second half, when Leicester reverted to 4-4-2, but by that stage Villa had seized the initiative through Bacuna.
The 6,500 Leicester supporters were entitled to expect better and they made their feelings known during the second half as the visitors struggled to build any momentum. Chants of “Pearson, sort it out” and “what a load of rubbish” reverberated. The Leicester manager was not in the mood to turn it into a discussion point afterwards. “People are entitled to their opinions. It doesn’t matter what I think about that,” he said.
The improvement in Villa after the interval was marked. Within two minutes Bacuna crossed for Fabian Delph to head over and moments later Schwarzer saved at Christian Benteke’s feet. Leicester were unable to retain the ball and Villa eventually made them pay. Picking up possession from Ron Vlaar, Bacuna ran at Danny Simpson, cut inside and beat Schwarzer with a beautifully placed shot.
Although Benteke squandered a chance to make it 2-0 when he sprinted clear only to shoot wildly over, Sinclair doubled Villa’s lead in the 89th minute. Schwarzer saved the winger’s shot with one hand but pushed it into the net with the other. It was Sinclair’s first goal since August 2012 – he is currently on loan from Manchester City – and became more significant when Kramaric’s thumping header beat Given in injury-time. This, however, was Sherwood’s day. He needs a few more between now and the end of the season.
Man of the match Shay Given (Aston Villa)
By Stuart James, Guardian
