Bailey seals late winner for Aston Villa
Aston Villa 2 - 1 Leicester City
Leon Bailey struck a dramatic late winner as Aston Villa handed Leicester their fifth consecutive Premier League defeat.
The Jamaican forward timed his run perfectly to slot home Ian Maatsen’s low cross in the 78th minute, securing his first goal of the season.
It seemed as though Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester might finally halt their losing streak when Stephy Mavididi equalised in the 64th minute. Mavididi capitalised on a rebound after Emiliano MartÃnez had produced a fine save to deny Jamie Vardy from close range.
Unai Emery’s side had earlier taken the lead with a stunning strike from Ross Barkley, who curled a beauty from the edge of the box in the 58th minute – his third league goal of the campaign.
At 2-1, Bailey nearly put the game to bed with a powerful effort that crashed off the underside of the crossbar. Ollie Watkins had a chance to convert the rebound but blazed his effort over.
Villa did suffer a setback when captain John McGinn limped off with a hamstring injury in the first half, leaving Emery uncertain about the skipper’s recovery time.
Let’s have a closer look at what happened
The first half was largely uneventful, although Villa could feel hard done by after being denied a penalty. Boubacar Kamara went down under a challenge from Mavididi in the box, but the video assistant referee decided against awarding a spot-kick, despite clear contact.
With the game finely poised, Villa struggled to find inspiration. The absence of suspended striker Jhon Duran left them short of attacking options, prompting Emery to turn to his bench.
Dutch wing-back Ian Maatsen proved to be the game-changer, surging down the left and delivering a precise low cross that Bailey converted to seal the victory.
The win keeps Villa eighth in the table, just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, while Leicester remain second from bottom, two points adrift of safety.
Can Villa build on their 2024 success in the New Year?
How do Aston Villa build on the success of 2024, a year that saw them qualify for Europe's premier competition for the first time since the 1980s? Picking up three points in their opening game of 2025 is certainly a step in the right direction.
For much of the match, it looked as though they’d have to settle for just a point after a lacklustre first half. However, Unai Emery’s side delivered when it mattered most, snapping a two-game winless streak in the process.
Reaction from the manager as Villa beat Leicester youtu.be/zI3zpzEcsX0?...
— European Super Football (@superfootball.bsky.social) 4 January 2025 at 22:12
[image or embed]
With fourth-placed Chelsea dropping points for the third game running, Villa now sit just four points shy of a coveted Champions League spot.
This wasn’t vintage Villa under Emery, though, and they clearly felt the absence of Pau Torres at the back. The Spaniard is sidelined for two months with a broken foot, leaving the defence looking vulnerable at times.
If Villa want to take anything from their next match – a tricky away trip to Everton – they’ll need to step up their performance significantly.
