At A Glance
Aston Villa will look to complete a first league double over Leicester City since the 2003-04 campaign when the two sides meet at Villa Park on Sunday.
Ross Barkley’s injury-time winner secured a 1-0 victory against the Foxes in the reverse fixture back in October, with both sides enjoying strong seasons since then.
Dean Smith’s side drew 0-0 with Brighton last time out, a result that was preceded by a 1-0 victory against Arsenal in their last home outing.
Leicester have had less time to prepare for the fixture after they were in Europa League action against Slavia Prague (0-0) on Thursday night.
The result extended their unbeaten run to five games, which includes a 3-1 success against champions Liverpool in their last league match.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have been strong on their travels this term, winning eight, drawing three and losing just one of their 12 away trips in the top-flight.
Standout Stats
Leicester won this exact fixture 4-1 last season – they’ve not won consecutive top-flight visits to Aston Villa since October 1960.
Aston Villa have recorded 12 clean sheets in their first 22 Premier League games this season – the most shutouts they’ve ever kept in the first 22 games of a league season in their history.
Leicester City have only lost once in their 12 Premier League away games this season (W8 D3 L1), with only Manchester United (0) registering fewer away defeats this term. Indeed, the Foxes are unbeaten in their last seven on the road in the top-flight (W4 D3).
Aston Villa have won five of their last seven Premier League games on Sundays (D1 L1), as many as they’d won in their previous 43 such matches in the competition (W5 D9 L29).
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has won all five of his away Premier League games against Aston Villa as a manager, his best such 100% record versus an opponent in the competition.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has scored five goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Aston Villa, netting home and away braces against the Villans last term.
Emiliano Martínez has kept 12 clean sheets in 22 Premier League games for Aston Villa this season, the most by a Villa keeper in a single top-flight season since Brad Friedel in 2009-10 (15 in 38 apps).
The Last Meeting
Ross Barkley was the hero when Aston Villa visited the King Power stadium back in October.
The midfielder picked the ball up and surged towards the Leicester goal before picking out the bottom corner with a driven shot.
Barkley’s strike ensured Villa maintained their 100% start to the Premier League season, winning their opening four league games for the first time since 1930/31.
Team News
Matty Cash will be missing for only the second Premier League match of the season after he sustained a hamstring injury against Brighton.
Kortney Hause and Wesley are both sidelined once again.
For Leicester, Ricardo was rested for their European tie on Thursday night and looks set to return to their squad at Villa Park alongside Timothy Castagne.
James Justin (ACL), Wesley Fofana (hamstring) and Ayoze Perez will miss the match, according to Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers.
The Boss
“I think they’ve become one of the big ones [clubs]. The winning of the Premier League a few years ago catapulted them into that group. With the season they had last year they were very unfortunate to miss out on the top four. I think they would have made it if we hadn’t gone into Lockdown. They’ve continued to impress this season and it doesn’t surprise me. I would certainly put them up there as one of the teams that’s breaking into that big six.”
Dean Smith
