*Elliott tames Villa again*

Aston Villa do not like playing Leicester - after all, they haven’t beaten them for 13 years. They were the better side for long stretches of yesterday’s encounter, but still Martin O’Neill’s side battled back twice to avoid defeat.

‘If Leicester played against everyone like they do against us then they would win the Premiership,’ said a disgruntled John Gregory after the game. ‘I don’t know why he says that,’ countered O’Neill, ‘because our record is very good against a lot of teams.’ Good, but not that good.

The only great moment of controversy came in injury time, when Robbie Savage was clattered over by Villa’s substitute Lee Hendrie, who was booked. Leicester reacted with fury, and soon 12 players were arguing at the touchline, with Leicester’s assistant manager John Robertson joining in for good measure. O’Neill was still furious at the post-match press conference; Gregory was more philosophical. ‘These things happen,’ he said. ‘There is nothing to worry about.’

Indeed, just about the only thing Gregory did have to worry about was Leicester’s talismanic captain Matt Elliott, who scored one goal and claimed an assist for the other.

Elliott started at centre-back, leaving the diminutive partnership of Tony Cottee and Muzzy Izzet up front. It didn’t go well, and Leicester rarely threatened before they fell behind.

The only surprise was that it took the home side so long to score. They tested Tim Flowers several times before, just past the half-hour, Dublin back-heeled the ball neatly into the path of Alan Thompson, who drilled home his second goal in three starts.

O’Neill swiftly reorganised, moving Elliott up front with Izzet moving back. The move paid almost immediate dividends, Gareth Barry failing to clear a right-wing cross which duly fell to Elliott’s feet for an emphatic finish.

Villa regrouped at half-time and started the second period much as they had the first. This time it took them only three minutes to score, Merson’s late run timed perfectly to meet Steve Watson’s deep cross from the right. But while they threatened to extend their lead further , they were again caught out as Elliott nodded Izzet’s cross into the path of Neil Lennon, who scored. As Villa pushed for the winner Elliott returned to the defence to keep Leicester’s 13-year-old record intact, until next season at least.

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*The Guardian*
Monday, 24 April 2000

*Jinxed Villa fail again to run Foxes to earth*

Throw together two managers who rarely see eye to eye and two teams keen on winding each other up and what do you get? Four goals, a 12-man scrap and an unhealthy dose of petty bickering.

Aston Villa last beat Leicester 13 years ago and twice passed up chances to end that run on Saturday. “If they played against everybody like they play against us, they’d win the Premiership,” grumbled Villa’s manager John Gregory.

His opposite number Martin O’Neill retorted: “We don’t get worked up more for games against Villa. Jinx? They can’t beat us, that’s the jinx.”

The melée which ensued seconds from the end was indicative of Villa’s lack of killer instinct. Even Lee Hendrie’s lunge at Robbie Savage, which prompted the handbags, failed to finish the Leicester man off.

Such a finale seemed unlikely after a drab opening half-hour which failed to disturb a flock of pigeons inside the Leicester half. It took Alan Thompson to scatter them, his charge and exchange of passes with Dion Dublin ending in a thunderous shot which ripped past Tim Flowers.

Leicester sent Matt Elliott up front and the man who ousted Villa from the Worthington Cup duly struck again. Stefan Oakes’ centre should have been cleared by Gareth Barry but the defender kicked air and Elliott pounced. “They feed off the scraps,” said Gregory, referring not to the pigeons but the Foxes.

Paul Merson’s header from a Steve Watson cross suggested Villa had learned their lesson before Neil Lennon, profiting from another Elliott knockdown, turned inside Alan Wright to find the top corner.

“If ever there was a day when Aston Villa should have beaten us, it was today,” added O’Neill. For once, his opposite number may just have agreed.