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Leicester City 4-2 Man Utd: Hosts score two late goals to win enthralling encounter

By Phil McNultyChief football writer at King Power Stadium
jamie Vardy scores
There were only 54 seconds between Marcus Rashford equalising for Manchester United and Jamie Vardy making it 3-2 to Leicester

Leicester City increased the pressure on Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as they ran out fully deserved winners in a thriller at King Power Stadium.

Manchester United at one stage threatened to steal a point from a dreadful performance but the Foxes rallied to secure their best win of an indifferent start to the season.

The defeat ends United's English league record 29-game unbeaten run away from home.

It all started so well for United when Mason Greenwood's brilliant long-range strike put them in front after 18 minutes but Leicester were level before half-time when the returning Harry Maguire, who had a nightmare afternoon, was robbed by Kelechi Iheanacho to set up Youri Tielemans for a sweeping finish.

Leicester City were vastly superior after the break and went ahead when Caglar Soyuncu sparked a flurry of late goals when he pounced in a goalmouth scramble with 12 minutes to go.

Marcus Rashford, back as a substitute after three months out following shoulder surgery, looked to have got United out of the hole when he ran on to Victor Lindelof's long ball to apply an emphatic finish four minutes later.

It was a sign of just how bad United were that they were behind again straight from the restart when Ayoze Perez pulled the ball back for Jamie Vardy to flash a finish high past David de Gea.

There was to be no comeback this time and Patson Daka bundled in at the far post for the fourth in stoppage time.

Foxes find form at last

It is inevitable that much focus will be placed on the failings of Manchester United and manager Solskjaer but Leicester deserve huge credit for a performance that saw them back to their best after a mixed start to the season.

The presence of Jonny Evans in defence provided reassurance and quality while Iheanacho tormented Maguire, who delivered a laboured and error-strewn display.

Leicester may have fallen behind to that Greenwood stunner but they never lost belief for a second and it was no surprise when Tielemans showed his quality with that clipped finish over De Gea into the far corner after Maguire inexplicably dawdled on the ball.

It gave Leicester real impetus and they dominated the second half, with only De Gea keeping the scoreline down as they swarmed over United.

Soyuncu put them back in front but it looked as though their excellence may not be rewarded with a win when Rashford crashed home a leveller.

Once again, Leicester showed resolve and quality to hit United again within seconds and that was that. They were not letting the lead slip this time.

United were on the ropes and Leicester kept them there as King Power Stadium rocked in celebration.

Daka's goal was the final decoration on an outstanding display, leaving manager Brendan Rodgers beaming after a spell when he was being asked questions of his own - ridiculous given the fact he brought the FA Cup to Leicester City last season.

He will hope this is lift-off for their season.

Leicester produced 'outstanding' performance - Rodgers

'Grim and shambolic' - Man Utd deliver a shocker

Maguire, back in the side after injury, set the tone for Manchester United's performance - and indeed his own - when he ran the ball tamely into touch with just seconds gone.

Greenwood's goal should have sparked United into life, such was its quality, but this was a grim, disorganised display that got exactly what it deserved.

United, missing the injured Raphael Varane, were shambolic at the back, ineffective in midfield and Cristiano Ronaldo was a peripheral figure unable to conjure up any of the old magic.

Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba were overrun in midfield. The Serb was ponderous while Pogba's main contribution was a succession of offences that finally earned him a caution late on.

As for Solskjaer, he looked lost on occasions in his technical area and bringing on McTominay and Jesse Lingard for Matic and Greenwood when Leicester went 2-1 up smacked of desperation as opposed to a considered strategy.

For a squad with such quality, and one which has had so much money lavished on it, United looked a rabble in the closing stages and it would have been an act of grand larceny had they somehow escaped with a point.

United have lost and drawn at home to Aston Villa and Everton in their past two league games at Old Trafford and only a last-gasp winner from Ronaldo saved them against Villarreal in the Champions League.

Solskjaer now faces a massive week with Atalanta at home in the Champions League on Wednesday, then a huge meeting with arch rivals Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, 24 October.

Something has to give after Leicester defeat - Solskjaer

Player of the match

DakaPatson Daka

with an average of 7.72

Leicester City

  1. Squad number29Player nameDaka
    Average rating

    7.72

  2. Squad number17Player nameAyoze Pérez
    Average rating

    7.54

  3. Squad number9Player nameVardy
    Average rating

    7.48

  4. Squad number8Player nameTielemans
    Average rating

    7.46

  5. Squad number23Player nameVestergaard
    Average rating

    7.28

  6. Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
    Average rating

    7.19

  7. Squad number4Player nameSöyüncü
    Average rating

    6.96

  8. Squad number10Player nameMaddison
    Average rating

    6.95

  9. Squad number6Player nameEvans
    Average rating

    6.87

  10. Squad number21Player nameRicardo Pereira
    Average rating

    6.86

  11. Squad number27Player nameCastagne
    Average rating

    6.85

  12. Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
    Average rating

    6.73

  13. Squad number1Player nameSchmeichel
    Average rating

    6.63

  14. Squad number18Player nameAmartey
    Average rating

    6.52

Manchester United

  1. Squad number11Player nameGreenwood
    Average rating

    5.45

  2. Squad number10Player nameRashford
    Average rating

    5.16

  3. Squad number1Player namede Gea
    Average rating

    5.08

  4. Squad number7Player nameCristiano Ronaldo
    Average rating

    4.99

  5. Squad number18Player nameBruno Fernandes
    Average rating

    4.67

  6. Squad number25Player nameSancho
    Average rating

    4.47

  7. Squad number23Player nameShaw
    Average rating

    4.44

  8. Squad number29Player nameWan-Bissaka
    Average rating

    4.28

  9. Squad number31Player nameMatic
    Average rating

    4.23

  10. Squad number2Player nameLindelöf
    Average rating

    4.12

  11. Squad number6Player namePogba
    Average rating

    4.10

  12. Squad number14Player nameLingard
    Average rating

    3.94

  13. Squad number39Player nameMcTominay
    Average rating

    3.52

  14. Squad number5Player nameMaguire
    Average rating

    3.45

Line-ups

Leicester

Formation 3-4-1-2

  • 1Schmeichel
  • 18Amartey
  • 6EvansSubstituted forVestergaardat 88'minutes
  • 4Söyüncü
  • 21Ricardo Pereira
  • 8Tielemans
  • 42Soumaré
  • 27Castagne
  • 10MaddisonSubstituted forPérezat 73'minutes
  • 14IheanachoSubstituted forDakaat 77'minutes
  • 9Vardy

Substitutes

  • 5Bertrand
  • 7Barnes
  • 11Albrighton
  • 12Ward
  • 17Pérez
  • 20Choudhury
  • 23Vestergaard
  • 29Daka
  • 37Lookman

Man Utd

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1de Gea
  • 29Wan-BissakaBooked at 84mins
  • 2LindelöfBooked at 52mins
  • 5Maguire
  • 23Shaw
  • 6PogbaBooked at 86mins
  • 31MaticSubstituted forMcTominayat 80'minutes
  • 11GreenwoodSubstituted forLingardat 80'minutes
  • 18Bruno Fernandes
  • 25SanchoSubstituted forRashfordat 65'minutes
  • 7Cristiano Ronaldo

Substitutes

  • 3Bailly
  • 8Mata
  • 10Rashford
  • 14Lingard
  • 20Dalot
  • 26Henderson
  • 27Alex Telles
  • 34van de Beek
  • 39McTominay
Referee:
Craig Pawson
Attendance:
32,219

Match Stats

Home TeamLeicesterAway TeamMan Utd
Possession
Home49%
Away51%
Shots
Home22
Away18
Shots on Target
Home11
Away6
Corners
Home4
Away3
Fouls
Home5
Away17

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Leicester City 4, Manchester United 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Leicester City 4, Manchester United 2.

  3. Post update

    Attempt saved. Scott McTominay (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jesse Lingard.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United).

  5. Post update

    Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Goal!

    Goal! Leicester City 4, Manchester United 2. Patson Daka (Leicester City) right footed shot from very close range to the bottom right corner following a set piece situation.

  7. Post update

    Foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United).

  8. Post update

    Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  9. Post update

    Attempt missed. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes with a cross.

  10. Post update

    Attempt saved. Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes.

  11. Substitution

    Substitution, Leicester City. Jannik Vestergaard replaces Jonny Evans.

  12. Booking

    Paul Pogba (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Paul Pogba (Manchester United).

  14. Post update

    Patson Daka (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Attempt missed. Çaglar Söyüncü (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.

  16. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ayoze Pérez.

  17. Post update

    Attempt saved. Ayoze Pérez (Leicester City) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Patson Daka.

  18. Post update

    Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Harry Maguire.

  19. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Ricardo Pereira (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  20. Booking

    Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

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