Aston Villa 2-4 Leicester City

Aston Villa suffered a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Leicester City as the visitors twice came from behind to take the spoils.

Ollie Watkins put the hosts ahead early on at Villa Park with his sixth goal of the season and second in as many games, only for James Maddison to level almost immediately.

The Villans regained their lead when Watkins’ strike was deflected in by the outstretched foot of Harry Souttar.

But the home side found themselves 3-2 down at the interval as the Foxes struck twice in quick succession late on in the first half through Kelechi Iheanacho and Tete.

Unai Emery’s side pushed and pushed to get back into the game, dominating possession and attempts on goal, but it was Leicester who added a fourth courtesy of substitute Dennis Praet.

Defeat ended a four-match unbeaten sequence in the Premier League as Villa tasted only their second loss under head coach Emery.

Villa showed one change from the 1-0 victory at Southampton last time out, Lucas Digne coming in for Álex Moreno.

Fit-again John McGinn was named among the substitutes along with January signing Jhon Durán.

And it was Villa who got off to the perfect start after a competitive opening, taking the lead with just nine minutes on the clock.

Emi Buendía’s long-range strike cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and Watkins was first to react and apply a smart finish to the rebound.

But the hosts’ advantage lasted just three minutes.

Emi Martínez played a short goal-kick to Boubacar Kamara, who was robbed of possession by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Maddison was on hand to slot in the equaliser.

Watkins came within inches of restoring Villa’s lead in the 27^th minute, but Foxes goalkeeper Danny Ward got a fingertip on Buendía’s cross to wrongfoot the striker, who could not quite add the final touch from close range.

Villa were turning the screw and Leon Bailey saw his low effort pushed around a post for a corner, from which Buendía’s flicked header rebounded off the top of the bar.

And the home side got the second goal they deserved shortly afterwards, Watkins’ low strike deflected past Ward by Souttar.

Maddison curled narrowly wide from distance, but the visitors equalised just before the break, Iheanacho heading home Harvey Barnes’ cross.

And there was still time for City to take a 3-2 lead in the second minute of injury time, winning the ball in the middle of the park, Iheanacho feeding Tete and he rounded Martínez to convert.

Boss Emery turned to Moreno and Philippe Coutinho at the break in a bid to turn the game around.

But it was Iheanacho who spurned a golden opportunity to add a fourth for Leicester within minutes of the restart, while Buendía was thwarted at the other end as the second period continued in much the same fashion as the first.

Tete fired just wide and then narrowly over as the encounter flowed from end to end, Bailey unable to apply the finishing touch to a move for the hosts.

Matty Cash was introduced in place of Ashley Young as the Villans applied more and more pressure to the Foxes rearguard.

But it was the away side who added a fourth courtesy of sub Praet, with Villa, who handed a debut to Durán, unable to rescue any reward from the clash.