Summary

  • Leicester thrash Aston Villa to cement third place

  • Win takes Foxes eight points clear of fifth-placed Man Utd

  • Vardy scores twice after coming on as second-half sub

  • Barnes scores twice - Foxes' first and fourth goals

  • Aston Villa's fourth straight league defeat

  • They miss chance to move out of bottom three

  1. Postpublished at 15 mins

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    It's Caglar Soyuncu this time!

    But the Leicester centre-back can't keep his header down and fails to test Pep Reina.

    Villa can't keep handing the hosts those opportunities from set-pieces...

  2. Postpublished at 14 mins

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    James Justin pushes forward down the left but Tyrone Mings is there to send it out for a corner before Leicester can capitalise.

    Can Jonny Evans meet this one?

  3. GREAT SAVE!published at 11 mins

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    That's a great stop by Pepe Reina!

    Bjorn Engels initially sends a header back to Reina narrowly wide of his post to give Leicester a corner opportunity.

    Jonny Evans rises highest to the resulting cross, but Reina does brilliantly to get down and push the ball away to safety.

    Jonny EvansImage source, Reuters
  4. 'Villa cannot be this wasteful'published at 20:09 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    Chris Sutton
    Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Two chances Villa have had. When it matters Mbwana Samatta didn't step up. Right foot onto left shin, six yards out. He's got to be scoring from there. Villa cannot be this wasteful.

  5. Postpublished at 8 mins

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    Oooft, Villa are knocking on the door here!

    Dean Smith's side win a free-kick to the left of the Leicester penalty area and Conor Hourihane sends a lovely ball across the face of Kasper Schmeichel's goal.

    Unfortunately for Villa, Mbwana Samatta can't reach it at the back post.

  6. Postpublished at 7 mins

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    Good chance for Villa!

    Jack Grealish feeds Matt Targett in down the left and Targett delivers a great cross along the ground for Conor Hourihane who is waiting in the area.

    Under pressure, Hourihane can't quite connect with the pass and Leicester survive an early scare.

    Positive stuff from the visitors.

  7. Postpublished at 5 mins

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    Dennis Praet puts Jack Grealish under pressure but the Aston Villa man stands firm to win a free-kick.

    Mbwana Samatta then attempts to reach Ahmed El Mohamady's through ball but it's snuffed out by the Leicester defence.

  8. Postpublished at 2 mins

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    Tyrone Mings stands over a free-kick deep inside his own half, in no rush whatsoever to get the ball moving again.

    In fact, he eventually leaves it for Pepe Reina to take. Slow start.

  9. 'Grealish can't be a one-man band'published at 1 min

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    Alan Hutton
    Former Aston Villa defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    At this precise moment this is Villa's best midfield [with John McGinn injured]. Conor Hourihane came on in the cup final and made a difference - so he deserves an opportunity. He has had to bide his time. He can add that little bit of quality going forward.

    The work that McGinn goes through in a game, he's a massive miss. Hopefully he'll be back as soon as possible. Jack Grealish needs help. He can't be a one-man band.

  10. KICK-OFFpublished at 20:00 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester 0-0 Aston Villa

    Right then, away we go!

    Leicester's Kelechi Iheanacho gets us up and running.

  11. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:59 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    Re message from R-L-C (19:42). Is that Ruben Loftus Cheek putting a cheeky barbed comment in against his two rivals for that roving England midfield spot?

    Gareth

    Is that Gareth Southgate putting Ruben Loftus Cheek in his place?

  12. Postpublished at 19:58 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester v Aston Villa (20:00 GMT)

    The players are out on the pitch, awkwardly just wandering past each other with no handshakes due to the coronavirus outbreak.

    Weird they're still made to do that at the moment.

    Anyway, we'll be under way shortly.

  13. Lawro backing Foxespublished at 19:55 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester v Aston Villa (20:00 GMT)

    Mark Lawrenson
    Ex-Liverpool defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    It is back to a relegation battle for Dean Smith's men, and this is a tough game for Aston Villa as they look to climb out of the bottom three.

    The Foxes have not been in great form themselves but manager Brendan Rodgers picked a strong team on Wednesday night against Birmingham and got the result he wanted.

    I am going with Leicester to win again here, too.

    Wilfried Ndidi is back from injury and makes a big difference in midfield while, up front, Jamie Vardy should be fit to return too.

    Lawro's prediction: 2-0

    Leicester v Aston VillaImage source, .
  14. 'Survival is down to us'published at 19:52 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester v Aston Villa (20:00 GMT)

    Aston Villa

    Aston Villa manager Dean Smith speaking to Sky Sports on Conor Hourihane's inclusion in the team: "Conor has impressed recently when he's come on for us and despite being starved of opportunities since the new year he deserves a recall."

    On the fight to avoid relegation: "We can't control other results. What it does is make our players realise it's about what we do - not other teams.

    "We have two games in hand on the teams around us, so winning them is what we have to do."

  15. Vardy will 'no doubt' play a partpublished at 19:49 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester v Aston Villa (20:00 GMT)

    Leicester City

    Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers speaking to Sky Sports on Jamie Vardy: "He's trained the last few days but we want to make sure he will be fit for rest of the season. No doubt he will play a part this evening but it's great to have him back."

    On a start for James Justin: "Justin has played well in the cup competitions, he's a player that will be very important for us over the next number of years. It's a great opportunity for him and I'm sure he'll do very well."

    On the top four: "Whatever the results [around us] we need to win this game this evening. We haven't been negative, we're very focused on the game tonight and we'll do everything we can to get back to winning ways."

  16. Leicester landmarkspublished at 19:46 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester v Aston Villa (20:00 GMT)

    Some Leicester landmarks to report this evening.

    Marc Albrighton is making his 250th Premier League appearance, while goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is making his 200th appearance in the competition.

    That comes on the night 22-year-old James Justin makes his first home league start for Leicester, having made his first start away to West Ham in December.

    James JustinImage source, Getty Images
  17. Grealish on course for England call?published at 19:43 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    Leicester v Aston Villa (20:00 GMT)

    Jack Grealish: Seven goals and six assists; James Maddison six goals and three assistsImage source, .

    With England manager Gareth Southgate due to name his squad for the upcoming international break in the next week or so, could Jack Grealish be on the verge of a first international call-up?

    In an impressive Premier League campaign, Grealish has registered seven goals and six assists in 25 games for Villa - one goal and three assists more than Leicester counterpart James Maddison.

    England's next game is currently due to be a friendly against Italy at Wembley on Friday 27 March, with Denmark due at Wembley the following Tuesday.

    Is Grealish now a must for England? Send in your thoughts.

  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:42 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    R-L-C: Battle between Maddison & Grealish tonight. Winner goes to the euros?

    Funny you should mention that one...

  19. Wolves to play behind closed doorspublished at 19:39 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020
    Breaking

    This just in - Wolves will play the first leg of their last-16 Europa League tie against Olympiacos in Greece on Thursday behind closed doors.

    Paris St-Germain's Champions League meeting with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday will also now be held in front of an empty stadium.

  20. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:37 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2020

    #bbcfootball or text 81111 (UK only)

    I got engaged on Saturday. He's a Villa fan, I'm a Leicester fan....!

    Hannah.

    Congrats, Hannah! Hopefully that's still the case after tonight's game...