Match ends, Manchester United 2, Leicester City 0.
Substitutes Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini both scored as Manchester United overcame a resolute Leicester to strengthen their position at the top of the Premier League.
Jose Mourinho's side had applied incessant pressure on the Foxes from kick-off, and Romelu Lukaku missed a second-half penalty prior to the goals, as they found it difficult to break the steadfast backline.
They finally breached the last line of defence when Rashford converted Henrikh Mkhitaryan's corner three minutes after coming on.
And then midfielder Fellaini stuck out his knee to divert fellow substitute Jesse Lingard's drive past Kasper Schmeichel.
United are the only side to have won all three of their opening league games this season and have yet to concede a goal.
Change in tactics works for Mourinho
United peppered the opposition area with crosses in the first half, but aside from a Paul Pogba strike that drifted narrowly wide, the threat from the wings was comfortably dealt with by the Foxes' defensive giants Wes Morgan and Harry Maguire.
There was a shift in manager Mourinho's thinking in the second half as his side began to breach the 18-yard area with shorter balls from a more central position.
That probing should have resulted in the opening goal. Leicester were once again on the back foot in their area before Anthony Martial struck a shot that came off Danny Simpson's arm. Referee Michael Oliver declared it to be deliberate handball.
Lukaku stepped up to the spot, but his hopes of a fourth league goal this season were thwarted by Schmeichel's dive to the right.
Leicester continued to come under pressure and eventually succumbed when Rashford's instinctive shot flew past the Dane in goal in the 70th minute.
Holes now began to appear in Leicester's previously watertight defence as they went looking for an equaliser.
United capitalised again as substitute Lingard's low drive was diverted into the net by Fellaini, although replays suggested the Belgian was fractionally offside.
Foxes lacked bite
Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare should not be too despondent.
His side's valiant defensive display was reminiscent of those during the Premier League-winning campaign two seasons ago. It was at the other end that his men disappointed.
At Old Trafford, both Jamie Vardy - the Foxes' star striker of 2015-16 - and Shinji Okazaki were ineffective, while Riyad Mahrez teased the United defence without an end product.
Vardy was withdrawn with 15 minutes left, to be replaced by Islam Slimani.
The closest Leicester came to scoring was when substitute Andy King forced a brilliant point-blank save from David de Gea in the final few seconds of the match.
Man of the match - Harry Maguire (Leicester)
'Nine points after three matches is nothing different' - reaction
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho on winning the first three matches: "We can look into perspective. Last season we won against Leicester at home so that doesn't make a difference, but we had too many draws at home last season.
"The difference is the quality of our football, we're playing better today. If we hadn't won this match I wouldn't have anyone to blame.
The team is playing very well and I'm very confident. We are comfortable on the ball and dangerous on the counter-attack. But nine points after three matches is nothing different for us, because we did that last season.
Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare: "I think we frustrated them for large parts of the game. When you come to Old Trafford in the form they are in, they will have big moments. We had our moments too, but could not see the game through.
"Set-pieces are our Achilles heel at the moment. We need to organise better.
"It was a harsh penalty, but a great save form Schmeichel. To go 1-0 down, it knocked a bit of spirit from us. I'm disappointed in the overall result, but we were nice and solid for large parts.
"You have to be disciplined; you know what the opposition's strengths are. We tried to attack in the second half.
"Maguire was carrying a knock but was desperate to play - he was solid."
New Man Utd penalty taker needed?
- Manchester United have kept a clean sheet in their opening three league games of a season for the sixth time in their history and fourth in the Premier League era.
- However, the Red Devils failed to win the title in those previous five campaigns (1927-28, 1991-92, 1997-98, 2005-06, and 2015-16).
- Manchester United will spend their 14th night at the top of the Premier League table in 2017-18 - the same number as in 2015-16 and 2016-17 combined (14).
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan equalled the Premier League record for most assists in his first three apps in a season (five by Ruel Fox in 1994-95).
- Romelu Lukaku has missed two of his last three penalties taken in the Premier League.
- Seven of Marcus Rashford's 11 Premier League goals have come at Old Trafford (64%).
What's next?
United are at Stoke on Saturday, 9 September (17:30 BST) when the Premier League resumes after the international break. Leicester are at home to Chelsea on the same day (15:00 BST).
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 25A Valencia
- 3Bailly
- 4Jones
- 17Blind
- 6Pogba
- 31Matic
- 8MataSubstituted forRashfordat 67'minutes
- 22MkhitaryanBooked at 54minsSubstituted forFellainiat 74'minutes
- 11MartialSubstituted forLingardat 76'minutes
- 9Lukaku
Substitutes
- 12Smalling
- 14Lingard
- 19Rashford
- 20Romero
- 21Herrera
- 27Fellaini
- 36Darmian
Leicester
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1SchmeichelBooked at 90mins
- 2Simpson
- 5Morgan
- 15Maguire
- 28Fuchs
- 26Mahrez
- 22JamesBooked at 89mins
- 25Ndidi
- 11AlbrightonSubstituted forGrayat 60'minutes
- 20OkazakiSubstituted forKingat 60'minutes
- 9VardySubstituted forSlimaniat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Chilwell
- 7Gray
- 8Iheanacho
- 10King
- 12Hamer
- 18Amartey
- 19Slimani
- Referee:
- Michael Oliver
- Attendance:
- 75,021
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home69%
- Away31%
- Shots
- Home22
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away4
- Corners
- Home9
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester United 2, Leicester City 0.
Booking
Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Wes Morgan.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Rashford with a through ball.
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by David de Gea.
Post update
Attempt saved. Islam Slimani (Leicester City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Demarai Gray with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Marcus Rashford (Manchester United).
Post update
Danny Simpson (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Leicester City. Wes Morgan tries a through ball, but Demarai Gray is caught offside.
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Antonio Valencia.
Booking
Matty James (Leicester City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Matty James (Leicester City).
Post update
Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Wilfred Ndidi.
Post update
Attempt missed. Islam Slimani (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Demarai Gray with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Nemanja Matic.
Post update
Video Review:.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester United 2, Leicester City 0. Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jesse Lingard.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Marcus Rashford.
Comments
Join the conversation
Ominous.
Also, Harry Maguire looked good today - deserving of his England call up.
3 games, 9 points, +10 goal difference.
"liverpool in title battle with man city"
I know that basic math will be hard for you but out of the 14 players United used today only 2 were Belgian (Lukaku and Fellahin), but 3 were English (Jones, Rashford and Lingard).
Don't let the facts get in the way of your hate scouser.
Good performance overall, but tougher tests to come.
ABU tears
ABU tears
ABU tears
ABU tears
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:)
Does he get's lonely on Liverpool HYS because nobody is interested in stories about them.?
Just now
Pretty sure Utd started last season with 3 wins and finished 6th.
yeah they did, but they also won the Europa League and the League Cup
More than the teams finishing in 2nd 3rd & 4th
Apparently to get Man ure fans inside the ground quicker .... And I kid you not.... They had half price Proseco from the bars inside. RIP .
There were other drinks at half price too. This was to get people into the ground earlier due to increased security checks. Why is there a problem?
Oh, and it's been 14,354,924 minutes since Liverpool last won the league.
Since Matic came, he's free and shows his class... although we need to work on our spacing Abit, Lukaku should try and be more invincible in the box
I hope Madrid don't take Razhford from utd.....the boy is a problem for defenders
I see Mansour Citeh are now using what used to be called "Fergie Time" keep playing until Citeh score the winning goal after 90 mins of the match "PepTime" now then