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Brazilian winger Tete marked a sparkling debut with a goal as Leicester City edged away from the foot of the Premier League with an excellent win at Villa Park.
Brendan Rodgers’ side were 2-1 down in the first half but rallied to claim three vital points and stem Aston Villa’s fine start to life under Unai Emery.
Ollie Watkins steered the home side ahead after Emiliano Buendia hit the crossbar, only for fit-again James Maddison to immediately level.
Watkins then drove a shot in off another new Foxes signing, Harry Souttar, but Kelechi Iheanacho equalised again with a header before Tete rounded Emiliano Martinez to put Leicester ahead at the break.
Philippe Coutinho saw a goal ruled out for offside as Emery’s side piled on the pressure in the second half, but Rodgers saw his team seal the much-needed points when substitute Dennis Praet ran through to score.
Tete, a short-term signing from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk, impressed throughout and may prove the spark the Foxes need to avoid a scrap against relegation.
Leicester win first ‘cup final’
Before kick-off, Rodgers said his side faced “18 cup finals” to move away from peril at the foot of the table, and the man who guided Leicester to FA Cup glory in 2021 delivered success in this game too.
That did not appear too likely in the opening stages as the energetic hosts swept ahead.
Leicester needed a game changer and, after a productive transfer window, Rodgers now appears to have several in his squad. Maddison, making his first league start in two months, was a class act throughout and soon equalised after Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall robbed Boubacar Kamara, before Tete made his mark.
The Brazilian went close with two curling efforts after good runs down the right and stayed alert to round Martinez and score with style.
The unfortunate own goal aside, Souttar looked an imposing presence on his Premier League bow, and third new signing Victor Kristiansen also posed a threat from left-back.
The new faces held firm as Villa poured forward after the break, and a first win since the World Cup has seen Leicester rise up the table, with some tough tests ahead.
More to follow.
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Aston Villa
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Squad number1Player nameE Martínez
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Squad number18Player nameYoung
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Squad number4Player nameKonsa
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Squad number5Player nameMings
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Squad number27Player nameDigne
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Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey
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Squad number44Player nameKamara
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
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Squad number10Player nameBuendía
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Squad number31Player nameBailey
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Squad number11Player nameWatkins
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Squad number2Player nameCash
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Squad number15Player nameÁlex Moreno
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Squad number22Player nameDurán
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Squad number23Player namePhilippe Coutinho
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Squad number32Player nameDendoncker
Leicester City
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Squad number1Player nameWard
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Squad number27Player nameCastagne
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Squad number15Player nameSouttar
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Squad number3Player nameFaes
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Squad number16Player nameKristiansen
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Squad number8Player nameTielemans
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Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
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Squad number37Player nameTetê
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Squad number10Player nameMaddison
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Squad number7Player nameBarnes
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Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
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Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
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Squad number24Player nameMendy
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Squad number26Player namePraet
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Squad number33Player nameThomas
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-4-2
- 1E Martínez
- 18YoungSubstituted forCashat 59′minutes
- 4Konsa
- 5Mings
- 27DigneSubstituted forMoreno Loperaat 45′minutes
- 41J RamseySubstituted forCoutinhoat 45′minutes
- 44KamaraSubstituted forDendonckerat 82′minutes
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 10Buendía
- 31BaileySubstituted forDuránat 82′minutes
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 2Cash
- 7McGinn
- 15Moreno Lopera
- 16Chambers
- 22Durán
- 23Coutinho
- 25Olsen
- 32Dendoncker
- 38Sinisalo
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ward
- 27CastagneBooked at 56mins
- 15Souttar
- 3Faes
- 16KristiansenSubstituted forThomasat 81′minutes
- 8TielemansBooked at 88mins
- 22Dewsbury-HallSubstituted forMendyat 67′minutes
- 37Cardoso Lemos MartinsSubstituted forSöyüncüat 83′minutesBooked at 86mins
- 10MaddisonSubstituted forPraetat 67′minutes
- 7Barnes
- 14IheanachoSubstituted forVardyat 67′minutes
Substitutes
- 4Söyüncü
- 9Vardy
- 20Daka
- 24Mendy
- 26Praet
- 31Iversen
- 33Thomas
- 34Brunt
- 40Marçal-Madivadua
- Referee:
- Darren England
- Attendance:
- 42,055
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 2, Leicester City 4.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 2, Leicester City 4.
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Attempt saved. Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.
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Attempt missed. Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Emiliano Buendía.
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Attempt missed. Álex Moreno (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the left side of the box is too high. Assisted by Douglas Luiz following a corner.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.
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Youri Tielemans (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Youri Tielemans (Leicester City).
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Offside, Leicester City. Harry Souttar tries a through ball, but Dennis Praet is caught offside.
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Offside, Aston Villa. Douglas Luiz tries a through ball, but Jhon Durán is caught offside.
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Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Jhon Durán (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City).
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Attempt missed. Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) header from the right side of the six yard box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Douglas Luiz with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Timothy Castagne.
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Offside, Leicester City. Luke Thomas tries a through ball, but Jamie Vardy is caught offside.
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Substitution, Leicester City. Çaglar Söyüncü replaces Tetê.
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Jhon Durán replaces Leon Bailey.
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Leander Dendoncker replaces Boubacar Kamara.
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