Randal Kolo Muani could leave Paris St-Germain this month, with Aston Villa, Tottenham, AC Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig all interested in the 26-year-old France forward. (Ben Jacobs), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Gary Lineker introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.
If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to Match of the Day after his side claimed a win against the Foxes: "We have to be proud of how we are doing, with the difficulties. The difficulties today were that Leicester City were performing well and it is difficult to beat them.
"In the second half, we were getting better and creating chances, not very clear chances but enough to score the two goals like we did.
"That match with those three points is fantastic for us. We are starting the second half of the season winning here at home and we are feeling the confidence again.
"Those three points are very important. We keep trying to get stronger.
"Our challenge now is to play two away matches in a row against Everton and Arsenal. I hope we can get enough points to be in the top 10 or top eight."
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa have gone 10 consecutive Premier League games without defeat at Villa Park (W6 D4), since a 2-0 loss to Arsenal in their opening game home game of 2024-25. Only Arsenal (12) are currently enjoying a longer unbeaten home run in the competition.
The Villains have completed their first Premier League double over Leicester City since 2003-04.
Ross Barkley's opener was his first Premier League goal from outside the box since October 2020, with that goal also coming against Leicester City.
Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa have had a taste of the big time and they want more of it next season.
Unai Emery's side have taken to the Champions League like a duck to water and they are on course for reaching the last 16 of the competition.
However, they are embroiled in a tough fight to secure their place among Europe's elite once again for next term but they have closed the gap to Chelsea in fourth to just four points.
After two games without a win, Villa needed to start the year on a high and take three points in a game they would expect to do so and that is exactly what they did.
Despite starting the game at a walking pace, Villa turned it on once the second half started and they took the lead after a brilliant Ross Barkley hit.
After being pegged back five minutes later, Villa did not allow their heads to drop as they went on the attack again and Leon Bailey was on hand to secure the three points.
They then went in search of more goals as Bailey struck the underside of the bar and Ollie Watkins skied one from close range.
With Everton up next in the league, Villa may feel they are in a good place to snatch a point or three.
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa goalscorer Ross Barkley has been speaking to Premier League Productions following the win: "Leicester were well organised, they look a much better a side now. The manager has them well-drilled but I'm happy our team has come away with the three points."
On his goal celebration: "A week ago I had my first child, so I said I would do that if I scored. I'm happy I was able to do that."
On being picked to play: "It is just about being ready. We have some players in top form so it is hard for the manager to leave some players out and I understand that. It is just about being ready and getting consistent minutes behind me.
"We created some great chances at the end. The goals will come for Ollie Watkins. We will always create chances, just in the second half of this season we need to be more ruthless in front of goal."
Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Aston Villa fans, what did you make of the performance?
Leicester fans - let us know your thoughts
Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies
There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday, and we will bring you every moment.
Tottenham v Newcastle (12:30)
Aston Villa v Leicester
Bournemouth v Everton
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Man City v West Ham
Southampton v Brentford
Brighton v Arsenal (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
For week 20, he takes on The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe, who supports Liverpool.
Sutton's prediction: 2-0
Aston Villa will be kicking themselves after conceding a late equaliser against Brighton.
I don't see Villa slipping up here, though, even without suspended duo Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers. Ollie Watkins will lead the line for them again - he has the jersey and will be looking to show why he should keep it when Duran is back from his ban.
Villa are strong at home while Leicester's away form is poor, with only one win and two draws from nine games on the road. They are in a relegation scrap and they are going to struggle to stay up.
The Foxes played pretty well against Manchester City last time out, and missed some good chances, but they still lost,
That defeat was their fourth in a row, and I am expecting Villa to make it five.
McCabe's prediction: 0-2
I am not sure about this one. There is a bit of a Midlands rivalry there, and I reckon Leicester might surprise a few people.
As we enter a new calendar year and the halfway point of the season, the Opta Supercomputer has been busy making its predictions.
But who has the best chance of securing Champions League football next season?
With England given a 97.8% chance of finishing in the top two of Uefa's coefficients rankings and receiving a bonus place in next season's competition, it is highly likely to be a race to finish in the top five of the Premier League this campaign.
One team essentially guaranteed a Champions League spot season, according to the Supercomputer's simulations, is high-flying league leaders Liverpool (100%).
Following closely on their heels are Arsenal and Chelsea, who occupy second and fourthgoing into this weekend's fixtures, with a 99.8% and 91.7% chance of finishing in the top five respectively.
Despite their unprecedented drop-off in form over the past two months, Manchester City fans will be pleased to hear Opta still gives them a 89.1% chance of clinching the potential final Champions League spot next season.
It then becomes a hotly fought battle between two of the most in-form teams in the league right now.
Despite third-placed Nottingham Forest's incredible campaign so far, Nuno Espirito Santo's side still fall below Newcastle United in the predictions for fifth place - with a 33.6% chance compared to the Magpies' 44.6%.
Four teams still have an outside chance of getting that coveted spot, with Aston Villa (13.8%), Bournemouth (9.8%), Fulham (6.2%) and Tottenham (5.4%) in the race.
Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leicester City (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Emery spoke about those who are unable to play: "Not Jhon Duran because he is suspended [and] not Pau Torres because he has a broken metatarsal and he is going to be out for more or less two months. Diego Carlos is also not ready - he has a small injury. Not Morgan Rogers because he is suspended with five yellow cards. The other players are in the squad and available."
On the future of Jaden Philogene who has been linked with a move to Ipswich: "He has the potential and he didn't show his potential in the first six months with us. He played some important matches, like against Bayern Munich and Manchester United. I am not wanting him to leave but we are speaking about the different options and maybe there could be one for him. He's not available for the match tomorrow."
On their achievements in 2024: "We achieved our best objective that we can dream to be in the Champions League . Now, we are starting the new year, focusing on the match against Leicester, and starting the second part of the season at home."
On his plans for the transfer window: "The club is trying to increase our level. If someone has to leave, we are open to it. The most important thing to me is the match tomorrow. I am not going to speak a lot about the transfer window."
On the possibilities for Villa in 2025: "Our challenge is to always try to improve, to increase our demands and our standards in everything. Champions League will be fantastic. Hopefully we can keep improving and being consistent."
On Leicester City head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy: "As a player, he was fantastic. I admired him a lot - as a coach as well. I had a small conversation with him when he was here with Manchester United at Villa Park. Hopefully he can show his potential as a coach like he did as a player."
Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news
Image source, Getty ImagesSince the start of October, Morgan Rogers has taken five shots on target in the Premier League.
All five found the back of the net.
Image source, Getty ImagesFollowing their 2-1 win at King Power Stadium in August, Aston Villa are looking to complete their first league double over Leicester since 2003-04.
Aston Villa are in talks with Borussia Dortmund over a move for 25-year-old Netherlands forward Donyell Malen, who the Bundesliga club value at £25m. (Mail), external
Meanwhile, Everton have joined Ipswich Town in plotting a loan move for Aston Villa's English winger Jaden Philogene, 22. (Athletic - subscription required), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesIpswich have shown an interest in taking Aston Villa winger Jaden Philogene to Portman Road this month.
The 22-year-old was close to moving to the Tractor Boys in the summer, only to re-join Villa just a year after being sold to Hull City.
Ipswich agreed an £18m deal with the Tigers in July but Villa inserted a clause into their negotiations with Hull when they sold Philogene in 2023, meaning they would have three days to match any bid once a deal had been agreed.
The England Under-21 international opted to return to Villa Park but has made just four starts, two in the Premier League, this season.
Ipswich are looking at wide options after Chiedozie Ogbene's season-ending Achilles injury in October.
Meanwhile, the Tractor Boys have no desire to sell Liam Delap, who joined from Manchester City in a deal worth £20m in the summer, this January.
The striker has seven goals in 17 league starts, including a penalty in the 2-0 win over Chelsea on Monday, and is key to their survival hopes with Kieran McKenna's side a point from safety.
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa came up - quite a long way - short at Newcastle on Boxing Day, but taking a longer view, the clubs are in quite similar positions and their hosts' recent experience may be instructive.
Both have shown that the Premier League's established top bracket can be breached. Both are big city clubs with large fanbases and grand stadiums, which can be fearsome to visiting sides and both have owners with the financial muscle to back up their ambition.
Finally, both have chafed at the profit and sustainability requirements [PSR] that they feel are limiting them at the precise moment they would like to consolidate in order to achieve regular Champions League football rather than it being a one-off adventure.
Against Brighton, it felt like Villa were flagging late on and the statistics support the sense of a developing trend: a league-high 11 goals conceded after the 75th minute so far this season. Since they were last in the top four in late October, late goals have cost Villa points against Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Brighton.
Can we correlate this to the workload of a Champions League campaign? Several times, Unai Emery has pointed out that Villa were covering just as many miles in Europe last season in reaching the semi-finals of the Conference League.
That is true, but the demands on his top-line players are surely higher now. They are playing in the top-tier competition and, although Villa deservedly held fourth place to the end, their momentum was fading in the final weeks of the season, which may in part have cost them the Conference League trophy.
The injury to Pau Torres and Jhon Duran's suspension sharpen the focus. Villa's owners surely have the means to help Emery find more high-class back-up, with the likelihood there will be enough games to give everyone chances to play when the squad is at full strength.
However, with the PSR ceiling having been close enough last summer for Villa to have to sell Douglas Luiz – and later make plain the reasons for doing so – it remains to be seen how they can ever bring this financial power fully to bear.
For a successful 2025 then, Villa need to solve more equations like this – and, in the long term, hope that the rules will be made, in their view, more reasonable. In this, they are not alone – but Newcastle's renewed forward momentum this season, after falling back while in the Champions League, demonstrates that there is a route through.
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesLewis Dobbin is poised to sign for Norwich on loan from Aston Villa until the end of the season.
The 21-year-old winger could wrap up the move in the next 24 hours and has already visited the Canaries' Colney training ground.
Dobbin is available after his loan at West Brom was terminated, as he struggled for game time at the Hawthorns.
He joined Villa from Everton in a £10m move this summer, then moved to thethe Baggies in August but made just one league start for them - a 1-1 draw against Preston in November - as well as 16 substitute appearances.
He was left out of Albion's matchday squad for their New Year's Day home win over Preston and joint-caretaker boss Chris Brunt confirmed that the two clubs had come to an agreement to terminate the loan.
"Villa have asked to call him back," Brunt told BBC Radio WM. "He's not played as much as they would have wanted for a loan player coming out of a Premier League club. We will just have to roll with it and move on."
At Carrow Road, he is viewed as a replacement for midfielder Christian Fassnacht, who re-signed for Swiss side Young Boys on a two-and-a-half-year deal on New Year's Eve.
The Canaries are also keen on Slavia Prague winger Matej Jurasek.
Meanwhile, Louie Barry is being assessed at Villa following his return from Stockport County.
The forward scored 16 goals in 24 games for the League One side and is unlikely to move immediately, but he is expected to be loaned out to the Championship during the January window.
Image source, Rex FeaturesLewis Dobbin managed only one Championship start for Albion following his arrival in early August
Aston Villa have recalled young front man Lewis Dobbin from his season-long loan at West Midlands neighbours West Bromwich Albion.
The 21-year-old, who joined Villa from Everton for a reported £10m in the summer, was sent out on loan to the Championship club in early August but made only one league start for Albion, the 1-1 draw against Preston in November, as well as 16 substitute appearances.
But he was not in managerless Albion's matchday squad for the New Year's Day 3-1 home win over North End - and joint-caretaker boss Chris Brunt confirmed that the two clubs have come to an agreement to terminate the loan.
"Villa have asked to call him back," Brunt told BBC Radio WM. "He's not played as much as they'd have wanted for a loan player coming out of a Premier League club.
"We'll just have to roll with it and move on, but it's an opportunity for our younger players."
While Dobbin has gone, Albion have had better news on midfielder Alex Mowatt and defender Mason Holgate following scans on groin injuries.
"Hopefully, it's not as bad as initially feared," Brunt added. "It's too soon to say about Saturday - but the more the merrier in terms of bodies going to Swansea. It's a hard old slog at this time of the season and you have to manage it the best you can."
After losing Carlos Corberan to Valencia on Christmas Eve, then starting with a Boxing Day defeat at Derby, the three-man caretaker management team of Brunt, Boaz Myhill and Damia Abella have now picked up four points from two games - a draw at Sheffield United and now the Baggies' first haul of more than two goals in a home match since beating Preston 3-0 last May.
But Brunt laughed off the idea that he might now be in danger of keeping the job.
"I'm relatively inexperienced for anything like that," he said. "But I'll carry on trying to give my best for the club, as I always did as a player, until hopefully the right person is appointed. I'm not sure what the script is from above but we'll just keep plodding away until we're told otherwise."
We asked you to tell us what Aston Villa's New Year's resolution should be.
Here are some of your replies:
Ian: We need to find a way to get Mings back into the starting XI. Villa are currently too easy to score against and have been for some time. Mings offers huge defensive presence and leadership on the pitch, both of which we are sorely lacking in our side right now.
Matt: We need to sort out the Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins situation. Both are great goalscorers but we need to find a way for them to play with each other.
Ryan: We must stay awake at the start of matches and stop conceding in the first 10 minutes. Too many matches this season have started with an uphill struggle.
Sam: To get a new right-back and some cover on the wings. Cash is not good enough. McGinn is keeping Bailey out, but he isn't a winger. Ramsey is a complete sick-note. So we need depth on the left and right wings, who are capable of seeing the season out and lifting us up into serious top-four contention.
Mark: Our New Year's resolution should be to stop dropping points from winning positions. We should be in the top four but lapses in concentration have cost us.
Mike: To play like we believe that we can break into the top four and to become consistent in our application, as opposed to being brilliant in one game and unrecognisable in the next!
