There was little to choose between the team that currently sit on top of the league and the one that is rooted to the bottom of it yesterday. Leicester had the confidence that comes of being high flyers but Villa had the spirit and never say die attitude that produced this well earned point.

Our first half performance was below par and it was Leicester who had the better of the first half. The second half was a different story we became more direct and had the better of it by some distance although our opponents always carried a goal threat. We demonstrated new found resilience by not letting our heads drop after going a goal down and at the end of the game it was the table toppers who may well have been the happiest to hear the final whistle.  

We are now unbeaten in our last three games. We need to start winning games and when better than next weekend? We currently stand 9 points away from safety. Games will fast run out now but we have 16 left to pull off an unlikely great escape. Do you want to bet against us? If so, you will not get much of a price from your local bookmaker and we did ruin a lot of bets against us yesterday.        

My player ratings from a game that brought us our fourth point from our last two home matches are:

Mark Bunn – 7 – Booked on 14 minutes when he unnecessarily brought down Vardy outside of the box who had run ahead of Okore and Bacuna to get to a long Schmeichel clearance that had been headed on for him to chase. Did very well to get a hand to Vardy’s attempt to chip the ball over him on 28 minutes but was not quite able to keep Okazaki’s tap in from the rebound out. Mark did well to wait for the kick to be taken and saved Mahrez’s 32^nd minute penalty with his legs. It was unlikely we would have been able to come back had we gone two behind at that point. Helped a Drinkwater shot over the bar on 58 minutes.                                                                             

Leandro Bacuna – 6 –Ayew switched the ball nicely to him inside the box on 66 minutes but Schmeichel was on hand to save. Leo was again surprisingly solid at the back.  

Jores Okore – 6 – Okazaki dived over his leg on the edge of the box in the build up to their penalty but the referee let play continue surely that was either a penalty or not and if it was not then should the striker not have been booked for a dive before the penalty was awarded? Might have unluckily conceded an own goal on 79 minutes when he stuck out a leg to a Fuchs cross and the ball ended up inches past the far post. Had another solid game. 

Joleon Lescott – 5 – Had switched off and was therefore only a spectator when Okazaki ran past him to follow up on Vardy’s shot and score from the rebound. Otherwise he was generally solid enough.                                   

Aly Cissokho – 6 – Could consider himself harshly treated by referee East when Mahrez’s shot unintentionally hit his slightly raised arm as he attempted to block it at short range and a penalty resulted. Hit a 40^th minute shot from outside the box that Schmeichel gathered and forced another save with a 52^nd minute effort. Solid at the back.                            

Jordan Veretout – 5 – Not as good a performance as he produced in his last game but he keeps us moving forward and usually does so to better affect than this. Might need a game off on Tuesday to come back fresh for the weekend as I think might most of this team.    

Carles Gil - 5 – Not at his best today and playing two games within a week may have taken its toll on a player who has often been substituted after around an hour in previous games.                   

Idrissa Gana – 7 – MOTM - Became increasingly influential as the game wore on. Fed by Veretout on 44 minutes and ran inside the box only to hit his shot over. He is improving with each game.

Ashley Westwood – 6 – Kept busy and looking for the ball yesterday. Got on the end of a 28^th minute Bacuna cross and attempted to replicate Gil’s goal at Sunderland but he was unable to get the right connection on it hitting the ball well over. He played a nice back-heeled pass to Ayew who in turn played an inviting ball into the box which was only just in front of Ashley on 65 minutes.      

Jordan Ayew – 7 – Jordan was not quite as threatening as he has been of late and for me he is more effective played in a more central role but he is still our main threat to opposition defences. Was correctly flagged offside having stood a couple of feet in front of the defence when he got on the end of a well measured 35^th minute free kick which he headed inches wide. Jordan ran and worked himself to a standstill.    

Libor Kozak – 7 – Libor fits the bill as a target man but he currently lacks the killer finishing touch. He does however; get into scoring positions so he may find his shooting boots with more game time. Huth presented the ball to him on 20 minutes when he under hit an intended back pass for Schmeichel but having run into the box his shot was saved by the keeper at his near post.

Huth who found difficulty in his aerial battles with Libor was incredibly lucky to not be twice penalised for fouls on him inside the penalty area thanks to the lenience of the referee. Firstly on 61 minutes he swung an arm into Kozak’s face and then pushed him to the floor with it when struggling to be first to a Westwood cross and then on 78 minutes when he pushed his left arm into his face. Libor got under a 68^th minute Veretout free kick which he headed over the bar. Had a good opportunity to win this for us on 88 minutes when a Bacuna free kick from inside his own half was nodded on by Gestede but he snatched at the chance lifting the ball harmlessly over the bar.                    

Substitutes:

Rudy Gestede – 7 - Replaced Gil on 67 minutes and made a difference. Won balls in the air and scored our well merited equalizer on 75 minutes. Bacuna played the ball to him near the edge of the box the ball hit his hand as he tried to bring it under control and his shot from just inside of the box when under pressure from Huth took a deflection off Morgan that helped it go past the keeper and into the net.    

Scott Sinclair - Replaced Ayew on 95 minutes and was therefore not on long enough to merit any rating.

Stay up Villa!

John Lewis