Aston Villa Player Ratings – Leicester 0-1 Villa – Watch: Ross Barkley Stunner Secures All 3 Points

This looked all set to be marked down as a very tidy away point, until Ross Barkley intervened.

The on-loan Chelsea midfielder burst forward, after excellent work from John McGinn, to fire home a 91st minute winner.

FOX HUNTING

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This was no a straightforward win for Villa, far from it, but it marked another encounter where this side showed just how improved on a season ago it is.

It was a game that once in it’s flow, showed Smith’s new-look side to be positive, competitive, but crucially threatening throughout.

Make no mistake, we had our near misses, but when up against disciplined sides like Leicester, that will be the case over 90 minutes. However, the defence fared well, and when called upon, Emi Martinez pulled of two good saves.

Whilst the point looked likely, it might’ve also been one to reflect upon for missed opportunities. Trezeguet went closest in the 1st half, firing wide from inside the box. In the 2nd, Ezri Konsa went agonisingly close with a header which he put wide from a corner.

Grealish, incomprehensively snubbed by England boss Gareth Southgate midweek, was a delight. The 25 year old ghosted across the field, bursting with pace and producing at least two moments of jaw-dropping skill to underline his quality.

The night though would belong to Ross Barkley.

Barkley, who after the game outlined that he’d struggled to train all week, secured Villa’s fourth straight win on the campaign.

The former Everton midfielder, who had played a deeper role than against Liverpool, drove forward as McGinn broke with the ball.

Barkley made no mistake, pinging a peach of an effort into the bottom right corner of the goal from distance.

ROSS BARKLEY GOAL

That's x-rated content from Barkley for #AVFC https://t.co/O4sghEgrXn

— Villa Underground (@avfc_vilr) October 18, 2020