Garde: Fighting with fans was the wake up call Aston Villa needed

We all saw the videos and we all either cringed in embarrassment, supported the perpetrators or radiated with anger.

The Aston Villa players didn't need to watch video clips of numerous encounters with angry fans to know that it was about time to kick it up a notch. Of course, they dealt with the incidents in the first person.

In Remi Garde's pre-Leicester press conference, there was no shyness from Villa's manager in mentioning the confrontations with fans that Aston Villa players have endured in their previous games with Sunderland and Wycombe Wanderers.

"Yes I think maybe it did, we live and train far away from fans and sometimes you need to touch the reality - that said I don't condone some of the fans' bad behaviour." - Remi Garde talking to Sky Sports

And 'touch the reality' Aston Villa did, with a marvellous performance and victory against a lacklustre Crystal Palace side. Villa will be looking for a result on Saturday against the dark-horse in this year's title race - Leicester City - to ignite the spark of form they found against the South-Londoners on Tuesday. Villa's season changed for the worse when they chucked a 2-0 lead away earlier this season, can it change for the better with a win over the Foxes?