Chapter 1: What were the key moments in the Aston Villa vs Leicester match?
Midlands derby finishes all square, which doesn't really satisfy anyone. Vardy denied there by Bunn. Okazaki was following up to make it 1-0 before half-time because after Roger East had given a penalty, Mahrez had it saved by Bunn. Twice he's been denied in recent weeks. There was a way back, Rüdiger Stead off the bench with the equaliser. And that is how it finished, one apiece.
Villa edging the attempts, 14 to Leicester's 12. Five on target, three of those in the second half. Leicester also with five on target, just one of those in the second half. Aston Villa edging possession as well, 56%, and 100 more passes than Leicester.
Chapter 2: How did Leicester's penalty save impact the game?
In fact, more passes than they had in any game, bar one this season, and more touches in the opposition area. But it is just one point each for Aston Villa and Leicester, and we can hear now from Danny Drinkwater and Rudi Gestert with Geoff Shreves.
Danny, Rudi first. Is a point each about right for the game, do you think? I think we deserve a better down point. They've got one good chance, and we have a few, but at the end of the game it's just one point. We're a bit disappointed. We know we have to win games now in the situation we are in, so we take it. One point is still OK.
Danny, given that Leicester had a penalty save, do you think you should have had more out of it then?
Chapter 3: What were the statistics that defined the match performance?
I think first off, we were a better team. Second half, we tried hitting them more on the counter, I guess. I still think we deserved the three points, but they've come out second half and they've shown a battle, so fair play to them.
It's a case of the old glass half full and half empty with a point. It takes you top again.
Yeah, look where we are in the league. It's a massive achievement already. To show the lads are disappointed with a draw at Villa is just a point to how far we've come this season. It's about picking ourselves up, dusting it off, looking towards the next game now and working on that three points.
Rudy, you got the goal.
Chapter 4: What do players feel about the fairness of the result?
Could you have been blown up for handball, though? No, I didn't feel it. I was watching the goal already, so I don't know if it's a handball or not, but it's a goal. It's a point, but does it keep the momentum going? Obviously, you wanted all three points. Does it keep the momentum from Tuesday going? Yeah, I think so. Leicester is a good team.
They are doing very well this season, so it's still a good momentum for us. Next game is going to be important for us.
Chapter 5: How did the second half tactics change the game dynamics?
We have to win. So we have to keep this confidence and keep going. Danny, is it the same for you? Keeping going, keep on doing what you're doing?
Yeah, exactly. If we can stay around the top of the table until the end of the season, then we've achieved a massive goal set by the club early on in the season. So, yeah, keep going, keep knocking down for results and then hopefully it'll come.
Wouldn't it be much tougher for you, do you think, second half of the season, having played the teams once, now they know about you?
Maybe. If so, then it's about us reinventing ourselves and then helping us react differently to what teams come up against us.
Chapter 6: What are the implications of this draw for both teams moving forward?
And for you, what's it going to take to get out of this? It's going to be tough in the end, but we've got no choice to fight and hopefully we're going to save the club and stay in the Premier League. Well, it was a cracking game. Thank you both very much. Thank you.
And Danny Drinkwater was given man of the match by both Jamie Redknapp and Tim Sherwood, the former Aston Villa manager, who we'll hear from in just a moment. Before then, I'd like to say that Claudio Ranieri is ready to speak to us live now from Villa Park. Good evening to you, Claudio. What's your assessment of that game?
Good evening.
Chapter 7: What challenges does Aston Villa face in the relegation battle?
I think we had the match on our hands and we lost two points, but that's football, it was a tough match, it was a local derby, and it's OK. In the first half, the Aston Villa were very, very nervous and we started very well. We scored a goal, we had the chance to close the match, but it was unlucky. In the second half, they scored a goal, it was a battle, it's OK, one point is OK.
Why do you think you lost your way then?
I don't know why we think we lost two points. Maybe Aston Villa were desperate, scored a goal, there was a handball and the referee didn't see. It was a luck.
Claudio, Jamie Redknapp, how much did the game change for you second half when they brought on Rudi Gusted to play alongside Kozak and they went a little bit more direct?
Yes, we waited their reaction, of course, and they want to put a long ball for Kozak, and we were very, very smart in the second ball.
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Chapter 8: What are the potential strategies for Aston Villa in the transfer market?
But after we conceded the goal, the striker touched the ball with the hand and controlled the ball. Against Tottenham, gave us a penalty, and today nobody watched the handball.
So you think that should have been disallowed, Claudio?
No, I don't know, because we create another two chances with Jimmy Vardy in the second half, and they create another chance with a long ball. But at the end, I think the draw is right.
Is it a concern to you, Claudio, given this extraordinary season that you've been having, that it's now one win in five, and that Vardy and Mahrez have both not scored in those last five games? We're measuring you by high standards here.
Yes, it happened to the strikers. It's not possible every week the strikers score a goal. They scored a lot. Now they maybe are to recover the energy. Jimmy, for too many months, didn't train very well because he had a little problem. Now he's gone back well. And then we restart to train. And sooner or later, he restart to score a goal. Who takes the next penalty then, Claudio?
Sorry? Who takes the next penalty for you? Who take? For me?
Yes. Not Mahrez? Why no Mahrez? Ah, for the penalty. I don't know. I speak with him. It's no problem. For me, it's important. He recharged immediately the batteries, no? He was very sad at the end of the match.
As I said, Claudio, we are judging you now by high standards because you are again top of the Premier League tonight. What is the target, having got past the safety barrier? What are you looking for your players now?
I told you, I know what we are doing is fantastic. It's fantastic. Nobody could imagine Leicester top of the league in January. I said that the first half of the season we achieved 39 points. I said, OK, we are ambitious, we want to improve, and then it's important to try to get 40 points. 39 in the first half, 40 in the second half. I know it's difficult, but that is our target now.
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