*Crisis, what crisis?*

Leicester City recently acquired the title of the second most unfriendly club in the country, and that is certainly well deserved as far as Aston Villa are concerned.

Since Brian Little quit Filbert Street to take over at Villa Park five years ago these two sides have not been the happiest of neighbours.

This was again the case on this occasion, with Leicester once more coming out on top as they maintained their record of never having lost to Villa in the Premiership.

The boardoom war at Leicester again dominated the build-up to this match, and for the first half-hour there was precious little to keep the fans’ minds off the hostility.

For the third home match in a week Barrie Pierpoint, the chief executive, again found himself cast firmly in the villain’s role. Even a simple Tannoy announcement for the fans to sit down elicited a chorus of ‘Pierpoint out!’.

Steve Guppy should have given the beleaguered Pierpoint some respite in the 22nd minute when Andrew Impey’s ball out of defence found the winger in space on the right. But he shot straight at the Villa keeper Peter Enckleman.

Leicester continued to enjoyed plenty of possession, and it was no surprise when they finally forced an opening in the 39th minute.

Impey got to the byline and swung over a cross which Guppy nodded down for Muzzy Izzet to meet with a firm diving header.

Guppy continued to atone for his earlier miss when he played a crucial role in a bizarre second goal for Leicester three minutes after the break. From just inside the visitor’s half, he hit a harmless-looking free-kick which Heskey dummied, throwing Gareth Southgate into such confusion he poked the ball past Enckleman.

All thoughts of boardroom squabbles were pushed even further into the background in the 55th minute with a third Leicester goal.

Guppy, inevitably, hit a corner to the edge of the penalty area where Robbie Savage headed it towards Heskey, who in turn helped it on for Cottee to score from less than a yard out.

Even worse was to follow for Villa nine minutes later, when Southgate was sent off after bundling Heskey over as he raced on to Cottee’s through ball.

Villa grabbed a late consolation courtesy of Dion Dublin after 73 minutes, but it was too late to deny Leicester the opportunity to forget their boardroom crisis.