LEICESTER CITY continue to look back in anger at their FA Cup exit against Chelsea last week, but at least after this victory they will have less cause to peer behind them at the foot of the Premiership. They are not quite safe yet, but moving ever closer. City might have been forgiven for having next Tuesday's League Cup semi-final, second leg against Wimbledon uppermost in their minds, but this was a thoroughly honest performance by Martin O'Neill's team, substitute Steve Claridge scoring the winning goal in a match of strictly limited chances. Ugo Ehiogu came close to equalising for Villa late on, although Claridge might easily have extended Leicester's lead.

There was a profusion of movement although both teams found it difficult to create much in the way of worthwhile openings. It might have been different if Leicester had scored early on, but Mark Bosnich leapt athletically to his left to push away Matt Elliott's header from a cross by Simon Grayson.

Villa began with the same team that ended the match against Liverpool the other weekend and it was Ian Taylor, the winning goal scorer on Sunday, who was the closest in response. Villa won a free kick midway inside Leicester's half which Mark Draper floated over the Leicester defence. Taylor reacted quicker than anyone, but unfortunately his control did not match his anticipation.

These two chances apart, together with long-range shots from Savo Milosevic and Steve Guppy, there was little for either goalkeeper to be concerned about.

Leicester replaced Mark Robins with Claridge after half-time, no doubt hoping that his energy and commitment would cause Villa's defence rather more concern than it had previously experienced. And that is precisely what happened.

Villa, befitting their higher position, had generally looked the more assured, but it was not a match to send the corpuscles zinging, at least until the irrepressible Claridge intervened with a 66th minute goal.

Bosnich, as in the first half, had again saved wonderfully well from Elliott, clearing away a powerfully struck drive. And then for the third time the Villa goalkeeper thwarted the Leicester defender when he brilliantly parried a header. Unfortunately on this occasion the ball dropped invitingly for Claridge who accepted the chance with relish. He had missed last Saturday's 3-1 victory at Wimbledon.