Aston Villa 1-4 Leicester: Vardy scores brace to seal Foxes' 9th straight win

Jamie Vardy was in fine form once again as Leicester secured their eighth consecutive Premier League win.

Match Report

Leicester City cut the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool with a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Jamie Vardy scored for the eighth game in a row to put the Foxes ahead before strike partner Kelechi Iheanacho added a second.

Jack Grealish pulled one back for Villa on half-time but Jonny Evans' first goal of the season early on in the second half restored Leicester's two-goal lead before Vardy carried on his irresistible form with another strike on the break to wrap up the win.

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Match Events

9' CHANCE!  Evans' shot too straight

CLOSE! Leicester win a free-kick on the right flank for a foul by Douglas Luiz on Praet. Maddison swings his cross deep to the back post for Soyuncu. He sticks out a leg to divert it across the middle, but it strikes off Elmohamady rather than Evans and into the hands of Heaton.

10' CLOSE! EI Ghazi hits the beam

OFF THE BAR! Villa should be ahead, but El-Ghazi fails to convert from close range. Grealish and Targett combine down the left to allow the full-back to fire a low cross into the box. El-Ghazi coasts in unmarked and he strikes it towards goal on his left foot, but he gets under the ball and his effort clatters off the crossbar before bouncing to safety. A huge opportunity missed for the home side.

20' GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 Leicester (Vardy)

GOAL! Vardy scores! 1-0! The striker finds the net for the eighth Premier League game in a row to put the Foxes ahead. Iheanacho releases the forward through the middle of the Villa defence even with Mings still in place. He speeds away from Konsa and rounds Heaton. Vardy mis-kicks his first strike at goal, but fortune is on his side as he is able to gather his effort ahead of the recovering Villa men and slot it into the net. 

41' GOAL! Aston Villa 0-2 Leicester (Iheanacho)

GOAL! Iheanacho bundles the ball home! 2-0! Leicester double their advantage as the forward converts Maddison's cross at the near post with the aid of a deflection off Konsa. Maddison is afforded space and time down the left flank. He whips a low cross in hard towards the run of Iheanacho. The ball takes a deflection off Konsa on to the boot of Iheanacho to find the bottom-left corner.

47' GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 Leicester (Grealish)

GOAL! Grealish gets one back! 2-1! The home side get back into the contest just before the break as Grealish's effort finds the corner with the aid of the post. Leicester fail to clear a corner from the right flank by Targett as the ball pinballs around the box. It eventually falls for Grealish in the left inside channel and he strikes an effort towards the bottom-right corner that takes a deflection before striking the inside of the post to find the net.

49' GOAL! Aston Villa 1-3 Leicester (Evans)

GOAL! Evans restores the 2-goal cushion! 3-1! Leicester regain control of the contest as Evans rises highest to head home Maddison's corner. Maddison hangs his cross deep towards the penalty spot. Evans times his jump to perfection and he loops his header towards the top-left corner. It has the accuracy and the pace to beat the hand of Heaton to find the back of the net.

67' Maddison's shot inches wide

CHANCE! Maddison should put the game to bed. Vardy is played through behind the Villa line by Pereira and he squares the ball back to Maddison. He fakes the first-time strike and goes for a curler from 12 yards, but places his effort wide of the post.

72' Barnes' shot over the bar

OVER! Pereira weaves his way past three challenges down the right flank and he cuts the ball back for Barnes in the middle. The winger takes on the strike first time, only to lift his attempt over the bar.

75' GOAL! Aston Villa 1-4 Leicester (Vardy)

GOAL! Vardy notches his second! 4-1! Vardy puts the game beyond doubt for the Foxes with a clinical finish on the break. Pereira launches a pass forward to Praet, who clips the ball over the Villa defence with the outside of his boot. it falls perfectly for Vardy to take in stride. He surges into the box before drilling his effort low into the bottom-left corner.

79' CHANCE! Soyuncu's header stopped by Heaton

SAVE! Heaton denies Leicester a fifth goal, although he does not know a great deal about it. Maddison lifts a free-kick into a dangerous position in the six-yard box and Soyuncu connects with his header. However, Heaton makes the stop with his face before Evans heads behind the rebound.

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