3️⃣ points as Leicester score late to claim EFL Cup semi-final draw | OneFootball

Kelechi Iheanacho earned Leicester a late draw in Wednesday night’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Aston Villa.

Frederic Guilbert had given the away side a first half lead but it will now be all to play for ahead of the return game on January 29.

England playmakers go head-to-head

It was the battle of the old-fashioned English number 10s here tonight, with James Maddison taking on Jack Grealish and no doubt a mindful Gareth Southgate watching on.

Both players are in the frame to go to Euro 2020 this summer, with Maddison the incumbent in the Three Lions squad right now.

On this evidence though, don’t rule out both men taking their places among the 23 for the pan-continental tournament.

There was a time when England just didn’t produce – well perhaps more accurately, didn’t appreciate – players of their nature.

Thankfully, those times have changed and we can fully get behind a pair of players with Le Tissier-esque grace and Hoddle-like technical ability.

Both men showed touches of class here and were the main focal points of attack for their respective teams. A sodden night in the east Midlands wasn’t the perfect conditions for tiki taka football, but the duo showed they really are in contention once that squad is announced come May.

Sign o’ the times?

It’s been a difficult first half of the season for Aston Villa.

Unexpectedly back in the Premier League and if truth be told, probably not ready for life in the big time.

The Midlands giants spent big in the summer to try and upgrade their squad but have so far relied almost entirely on players that were starring in the Championship last summer.

John McGinn, Tyrone Mings and Jack Grealish have all been at the heart of any decent Villa performances this term, but that changed tonight.

It should give Villa fans great hope that this wasn’t a night for the individual but an evening when everyone on the pitch pulled together and took on the third best team in the Premier League.

If it’s a portent of things to come for Dean Smith and his side, then the last few months of the campaign are going to be very interesting.

All to play for

Ultimately though, this looked like a game between two teams at the end of a packed festive schedule who have, simply, played too much football.

Compared to Tuesday night’s match in which Manchester City totally decimated Manchester United at Old Trafford, this match had very little urgency, a real lack of tempo and a dearth of technical quality.

Kelechi Iheanacho produced the only real moment of quality late on as his neat turn and finish saw the Foxes come away from the first leg with a draw.

It means it’s all to play for when the two meet again in three weeks time.