Leicester complete courageous King Power comeback to sink Aston Villa

The opportunity to make amends arrived soon after, however, as the Foxes’ failure to clear their lines following a set piece scuffle saw the ball fall back to Grealish, and the playmaker scored in some style, curling his strike past un-sighted keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

In response, Mahrez got fans on their feet with some fancy footwork as he turned Villa’s rearguard inside out. The Algeria international dithered too long, but Aston Villa academy product Marc Albrighton picked up the ball, sending a cross in that Okazaki, subbed after the break, inexplicably missed.

Ranieri’s men were reinvigorated after half time, however, as Jeff Schlupp powered down the left flank to supply Vardy, whose instinctive back-heel was just off target.

Mahrez, moved centrally, also became increasingly influential, making Villa’s defence dizzy everytime he danced into their box with the ball.

With the tables well and truly turned it seemed only a matter of time before the Foxes found an equaliser, but Aston Villa handed their hosts a sucker-punch around the 62nd minute mark, as Agbonlahor fed Gil on the break, with the Spaniard dispatching his own stunning effort past Schmeichel.

Leicester finally got a break in the 71st minute, as full back De Laet’s flick on from a corner was adjudged to have just crossed the line to make it 2-1, though Leandro Bacuna was found not guilty of bowling Vardy over in the box as Leicester previously called for a penalty.

The Foxes continued to pour forward, as the clash took on the urgency of a cup tie, with Vardy proving the goal hero as Leicester continued an incredible comeback at the King Power. The determined forward burst into the box to meet Drinkwater’s low cross after smart scheming from Mahrez, with Vardy sliding in to poke the ball past Guzan to equalise emphatically.

Leicester’s dramatic day was not yet over, however, as Mahrez’s lovely lofted ball in the final few minutes of normal time saw brave substitute Nathan Dyer become an instant cult hero, as the winger almost injured himself to reach the ball before Guzan and scrambled the winner.

So, Ranieri’s electric unbeaten run continues, while Villa will leave this Midlands melee scratching their heads as to how they let a two goal lead slip.