Premier League - Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka strike late as Leicester City down Manchester United in thriller
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ByEurosport
Updated 16/10/2021 at 19:42 GMT
Premier League, King Power Stadium - Leicester City 4 (Tielemans 31', Soyuncu 78', Vardy 83', Daka 90') Manchester United 2 (Greenwood 19', Rashford 82')
'It says everything when your best player is De Gea' - Solskjaer
Jamie Vardy and Patson Daka scored late goals in dramatic fashion as Leicester City downed Manchester United 4-2 in a Premier League thriller.
This game was billed as United’s easier fixture in what is set to be a gruelling set of matches over the coming weeks, but Leicester clearly didn’t get the memo.
Early on they set about pressing the visitors with energy, unsettling them into a series of errors and could well have been ahead if they were more clinical in the final third.
But it was United that broke the deadlock through Mason Greenwood, who seemed to come out of nowhere to create a yard of space on the right flank, before opening up his body to send a rocket of a left-footed shot into the back of the net.
The hosts did well to respond quickly and persevered with the neat passing football, which produced an equaliser in spectacular fashion. United attempted to play out from the back and it was Harry Maguire who got caught in possession by Kelechi Iheanacho. He then found Youri Tielemans just inside the box and the Belgian produced a fantastic clipped effort that floated over De Gea.
The second half saw Leicester start quickly and they continued to dominate possession and looked the most likely to score, but United rode their luck to stay level.
But in the space of five minutes there were three goals. First Leicester went ahead as Caglar Soyuncu was in the right place at the right time to tuck the ball into the back of the net from a corner.
Then substitute Marcus Rashford bent his run to perfection to get one on one with Kasper Schmeichel to make it two a piece. But United couldn’t hold on as 54 seconds later, Vardy produced a composed half volley from inside the box to send the home fans into frantic celebrations.
And finally, Daka’s gamble paid off as he made it 4-2 in the closing stages of the game.
Next up for the Foxes are back to back away fixtures with Spartak Moscow in Europe, followed by a trip to London to take on Brentford. Meanwhile, United host Atalanta in the Champions League and then take on Liverpool at Old Trafford.
TALKING POINT - UNITED ON THE ROPES
There is no denying the size of the challenge in front of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, not just in terms of the run of fixtures he has to contend with, but the manner in which his team performs. The fact of the matter is, this United squad has been assembled to challenge for titles. At the moment there are glimpses of potential, but overall they are simply not playing football as a team and that, more than the results, will be frustrating the Old Trafford faithful.
MAN OF THE MATCH - JAMIE VARDY - (LEICESTER CITY)
He is the man for the big occasions an,d when The Foxes need him most, he seldom lets them down. His goal was simply perfect: right place, right time and composure to ensure the ball hit the back of the net. But it's not just the goal, it's his overall game that impresses. He's dogged, hardworking and doesn't seem to be slowing down at 34 years old.
PLAYER RATINGS:
Leicester City: Schmeichel 6, Amartey 6, Evans 6, Söyüncü 7, Ricardo Pereira 6, Tielemans 8, Soumaré 6, Castagne 6, Maddison 8, Iheanacho 8, Vardy 9
Manchester United: De Gea 8, Wan-Bissaka 5, Lindelöf 4, Maguire 4, Shaw 5, Pogba 5, Matic 5, Greenwood 7, Bruno Fernandes 5, Sancho 5, Cristiano Ronaldo 5
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Mason Greenwood of Manchester United celebrates after scoring their side's first goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Manchester United at The King Power Stadium
Image credit: Getty Images
KEY MOMENTS:
19’ - GOAL! 1-0 Man United (Greenwood) - What a strike from Greenwood. He creates a yard of space on the right flank, opens his body up and sends a rocket of a shot into the back of the net. Schmeichel had no chances of stopping that
31’ - GOAL! 1-1 Leicester City (Tielemans) - Leicester are level!!! United try to play out from the back and Maguire gets caught in possession by Iheanacho. He then finds Tielemans just inside the box and the Belgian produces a fantastic clipped effort that floats over de Gea. Game on!
78’ - GOAL! 2-1 Leicester City (Söyüncü) - Leicester are ahead! De Gea makes a great save with his foot, but the ball then bounces kindly to Söyüncü to smashes the ball over the line from six yards out
82’ - GOAL! 2-2 Man United (Rashford) - United are level! Rashford bends his run to perfection and is in one on one with Schmeichel and produces an emphatic finish
83’ - GOAL! 3-2! Leicester City (Vardy) - Leicester are back in front. United just couldn't hold on. Vardy holds his position in the box as Pérez finds him and the number nine produces an excellent half volley
90’ - GOAL! 4-2! Leicester City (Daka) - Leicester have put the final nail in the coffin for United's away record as Daka scores
KEY STATS:
- This was Manchester United’s first away league defeat in 30 games (since a 2-0 loss at Liverpool in January 2020), and the first time the Red Devils have conceded four goals in an away league game since April 2019 (0-4 vs Everton)
- There were only 54 seconds between Marcus Rashford equalising for Manchester United and Jamie Vardy making it 3-2 to Leicester
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