Not a stylish five-nil, or the ‘go two up then give the kids a run-out’ routine that we’ve suffered many time in the past. This one was a gritty, three points even when you’ve not on top form, display of the sort that you don’t look back on with any great affection but at the end of the season can prove the difference between success and failure. Not that Villa have got any chance of winning the league – oil nations and the myriad of regulations brought in to punish clubs who dare finish above Manchester United and Chelsea have put paid to that idea – but a win away to a team who’ve been our bogey for long enough is never to be sniffed at.

Matty Cash’s latest injury forced Villa into a choice that highlighted the handicaps we’re up against when Lamare Bogarde was brought in to make his first start at right-back. The rest of the team had a familar look to it and they started well, Ollie Watkins narrowly missing a one on one with the keeper inside the first couple of minutes. Last season it would have gone in and I don’t doubt in a month’s time it will again, but for the monent our England striker is out of form and low on confidence.

No matter, because what looked like a poor free-kick fom Youri Tielemans was actually a work of genus as Jacob Ramsey, on for the injured Leon Bailey, laid on a ball for Amadou Onana to run into the box like all great midfielders and put Villa into the lead. Ramsey brought out a good save from the Leicester keeper and Watkins missed another chance, while at the other end Emiliano Martinez did well to keep out a couple from the home side before half-time.

Watkins came off on the hour for Jhon Duran, while Ross Barkley replaced Onana and a couple of minutes later Unai Emery was proved yet again to be the master of substitutions. Good work down the left wing left Lucas Digne to put a cross over for Duran to hammer home a powerful, perfectly-placed header. Two-nil and Villa were well in cotrol.

The team have been transformed since Emery arrived but those words “well in cotrol” still tempt fate. Ten minutes after Duran’s goal there was some poor marking and the home side pulled a goal back. No worry, because Vila were able to hold on wthout too much trouble, although there was a late scare when Jamie Vardy, who had a goal disallowed earlier, was judged offside after appealing for a penalty in added time. Duran also collected a late booking, Villa’s fifth of the game, because he’s as liable to get a yellow card as a goal. Emery always wants his players to be well-drilled but I really do hope he never coaches the maverick out of the most gloriously unpredictable player we’ve had in years.