League Cup: Leicester disappointed

Leicester – Liverpool conqueror Leicester City cannot get beyond a draw in the semi-final of the English League Cup against Aston Villa and will have to improve in the return leg.

Leicester City have not been able to gain an advantage in the battle for the final of the English Football League Cup.

The Premier League runners-up separated 1-1 (0-1) from Aston Villa in the semi-finals and will have to make up ground away in the return match on 28 January (20.45) to reach the competition’s final for the first time since 2000.

The away-goal rule does not apply in the “League Cup”.

France’s Frederic Guilbert (28) had given the visitors in Leicester, who are threatened with relegation, a lead in the league, while Nigerian Kelechi Iheanacho (74) scored to equalise at the start of the final phase.

Villa had eliminated Champions League winners Liverpool FC in the quarter-finals. While the professional team of team manager Jürgen Klopp had been in action at the club world championship, the youngsters who had stepped in had lost 5-0.

The evening before, Cup defenders Manchester City had already entered the final round after a 3-1 (3-0) victory over local rivals Manchester United. England’s champions could win the EFL Cup for the third time in a row after 2018 and 2019.