Villa Park was quiet, underwhelmed, frustrations boiling in freezing weather, as Leicester repeatedly broke down the flow of Aston Villa attacks. Ross Barkley’s opener had been cancelled out by a counterattack strike all part of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s plan.

An improved, dogged Leicester, better organised, more disciplined, as they sought to make up for a ruin of a Christmas, ended up rueing two more very preventable goals. Just as Barkley’s strike followed Jannik Vestergaard’s misdirected header, for the winner Jordan Ayew was robbed by Ian Maatsen, and after a quick exchange with fellow sub Emi Buendía, Leon Bailey was supplied a redemptive goal.