Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0: Rashford and Fellaini strike to place Utd back on top

Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford scored the opening goal of United's 2-0 win over Leicester City. Credit: Reuters

It is always worth remembering that if August proves to be your best month of the season, it is safe to assume it will have been a disappointing one by the time May arrives, but Manchester United could not have done any more than this.

Early days, perhaps, but heady ones all the same for Jose Mourinho’s side, who made it three wins out of three and who go into the international break sitting top of the table, looking down on all the other title contenders. Ten goals scored, none conceded, United have looked the best team in England up to this point.

This was not as eye-catching as the crushing victories over West Ham and Swansea, but that arguably makes it more significant. This was an important box to tick given their recent failings. Beating resolute, well organised teams with a limited game plan had proved too much, far too often last term.

Leicester made them work incredibly hard, defending superbly and when Kasper Schmeichel saved Romelu Lukaku’s penalty in the second half, it threatened to turn into another one of those exasperating days that sucked the life out of United’s Premier League challenge last season.

Yet, while Lukaku had a game he will want to forget quickly, Mourinho was able to send on Marcus Rashford as a substitute. Having won a corner, linking up well with Paul Pogba, the young England international was then in the right place to volley it in.

Romelu Lukaku reacts after seeing Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel save his penalty
Romelu Lukaku reacts after seeing Leicester City's Kasper Schmeichel save his penalty Credit:  PA

Relief and joy engulfed Old Trafford. Leicester’s spirits were broken and another substitute, Marouane Fellaini, added a second, deflecting in Jesse Lingard’s cross with his hip.

It brought a difficult game to a successful conclusion, although it is worth pointing out that United also won their opening three games last term, yet still contrived to finish well off the title pace in sixth place. This is a good start, but that is all it is.

“This is about the motivation of the team,” said Mourinho. “I’m really happy, not for me, but for the players. We had games like this last season which we didn’t win, but we didn’t play many matches last season with the same level of control as we had today.

“Leicester were very dangerous against Arsenal, I watched the game three times and they were. Were they dangerous against us? No.

“We kept playing, we kept creating, we kept getting corners. We are playing well but I’m not getting carried away, it’s just three games.”

Rashford puts Manchester United ahead
Rashford puts Manchester United ahead Credit: Getty Images

United began with a brilliant attack, slicing through Leicester’s backline with sharp, precise passing, the ball eventually making its way to the feet of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but his shot was well blocked by Harry Maguire.

It looked ominous for Leicester. Lukaku should have been on his toes to capitalise on a missed clearance, but he at least kept the danger alive and when Schmeichel could not hold on to his shot on the turn, Juan Mata tucked in the rebound only for an offside flag to be raised – a tight, but probably correct decision.

United had their foot on Leicester’s throats, Pogba almost steering a deep cross from Anthony Martial into the far corner, before Schmeichel was at full stretch to tip away a clever curling effort from Mata. Leicester were gasping for air and the game was not even half an hour old.

United continued to pepper the Leicester goal, but Schmeichel did not have too many saves to make. It was starting to become a concern. That is why they spent £75 m on Lukaku. United’s new No 9, though, was quiet, well-marked by Maguire and his centre-back colleague Wes Morgan.

Nevertheless, he was supposed to make a difference against packed defences like this, but his movement can be predictable, and when he did have chances in the second half, he did not take them.

Leicester finally made a mistake, Danny Simpson sticking out an arm to block a cross inside the area. Lukaku would not get a better chance to break the deadlock, but Schmeichel read which way he would put the penalty and made an excellent save.

Fellaini celebrates his goal
Fellaini celebrates his goal Credit: AP

Mourinho remained calm and sent on fresh legs, Rashford and Fellaini both making a difference as Leicester faded. “It was not an intelligent substitution, they are just good players,” added Mourinho modestly.

“We knew we would have to frustrate coming here and for large parts of the game we did that really well,” said Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare. “But we knew they would have a moment and they took it.

 

                                                                                                    

Time on ball (at full time)

Average touch positions (half time)

Time on ball (0 - 15 min)

Leicester respond

The visitors have their first shot of the game, in reply to two so far from Man Utd.

Leicester attack yet to make much of an impression

The visitors haven't yet managed to apply some concerted pressure on the Man Utd backline.

Time on ball (first half)

Time on ball (15 - 30 min)

GOAL!

1-0. Marcus Rashford has opened the scoring for Man Utd.

Man Utd enjoying plenty of touches of the ball so far.

Man Utd have had 214 touches of the ball compared to 124 by Leicester.

Average touch positions (full time)

GOAL!

Marouane Fellaini adds a second for Man Utd - it's now 2-0!

Time on ball (45 - 60 min)

Time on ball (59 - 74 min)

One-way traffic at Old Trafford

It's been all Man Utd, with the hosts racking up 15 shots so far - Leicester have managed just two in reply.

FULL TIME: Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0

Before the whistle goes that's another Lukaku chance over the bar after it's deflected by Morgan.

Another good day for United. 

Two goals, three points and top of the Premier League table.

90+3 mins 

United just keeping it calm and letting Leicester have the ball but stopping the play before they get to do anything real with it. 

Or maybe not. Gray down the left and King connects with his cross but De Gea blocks with his leg. 

That United keeper isn't bad, is he?

90 mins

Leicester trying to get a consolation in the dying minute's but Gray is offside when he collects Morgan's cross. 

We have four additional minute's to play.

88 mins

Fuchs crosses into the box after Gray's run down the near side but Jones is there to head the ball out. The England defender has had a very commanding game alongside Bailly.

Rashford runs down the left wing and James feels he has no choice but to scythe him down, getting a yellow in the process. 

86 mins

All United at the moment as Matic (?) makes a run into the box and luckily for Leicester, Simpson is awake to clear the ball.

GOAL: Fellaini

The Belgian doubles the lead. Lingard runs down the left and into the box and manages to get it past three Leicester defenders with the final ball coming of Fellaini's knee. 

And back to the top of the table unless Leicester can work wonders in the next eight minutes (+ injury time).

80 mins

That's all the subs gone. 

Ndidi tries to get Slimani involved straight away but Jones is paying attention and heads the cross out. 

Mahrez wins his side a free-kick just inside the United half. Despite allegedly wanting to leave the midfielder has given his all and has been part of all of the visitors good work today. 

Rashford runs onto a lose ball after Morgan switches off but  Schmeichel is there to clean up after his captain. 

76 mins

What a waste. Lukaku is one-on-one with Morgan and when he finally takes the left-footed shot he sends it into the stands. 

SUB: Another home substitute coming on as Lingard gets his orders from the coaching staff. Martial is the man to make way.

Slimani is also coming on for the Foxes with Vardy the man heading off. 

73 mins

The United fans calling for more but Lukaku's shot falls easily into the hands of the Leicester keeper. 

Looks like it's Fellaini time as the Belgian gets himself sorted on the sidelines. Who needs Fergie time, eh?

Mkhitaryan is the man making way and he is looking better with each game. Another good days work for the midfielder. 

GOAL: RASHFORD

Rashford has only been on the pitch a couple of minutes. He won the corner after Maguire blocked his cross and he gets a tap in from Mkhitaryan's corner. 

Leicester can rightly be disappointed after 70 minutes of organised play. 

70 mins

Leicester looking the more confident of the two teams right now. Mourinho calling on his team to drag the Leicester players out towards the flanks. 

SUBSTITUTION

Marcus Rashford comes on for Juan Mata

66 mins

Mahrez again running at Jones after Gray plays him in, but the United defender has time to block. 

It looks like Rashford is coming on as he heads towards the technical area. Maybe Mourinho wants some more pace to trouble those visiting defenders. Rashford would definitely pull them about more. 

Mahrez twists and turns on the far side of the pitch and he sweeps the ball acroiss goal but no one gets there to knock it home. 

63 mins

According to the official league site, united have had 70% possession and 16 shots to Leicester's four. 

You have to say the visitors have been organised and stuck to their tasks. It's not hard to see why Maguire is now in the England squad. 

60 mins

Martial skips past three Leicester players but Fuchs is there to kick the ball away. 

Mahrez is finally awake and he's running at Jones who makes a good tackle on the edge of the box. 

SUBSTITUTIONS: Demarai Gray replaces Marc Albrighton and Andy King for Shinji Okazaki for Leicester

57 mins

That save will definitely buoy the travelling supporters. Pogba has words with Mkhitaryan as his foul gives Mahrez a free-kick in the middle of the park.  He also gets a yellow for his troubles.

United trying to get back into their stride as Martial wins a corner but Leicester are straight up the other end and it looks like a wasted opportunity with Mahrez free at the far post. 

James and Maguire once again there to head the danger away when United get the ball in the box. 

52 mins

Mata shouts for handball and the ball does appear to hit Fuchs on the hand, but there was hardly any room for him to move his hand away.

PENALTY as Martial's crosses into the box from the right and it hits Simpson on the arm. 

The Foxes keeper saves it low to his right and Lukaku got a good connection but the Dane was equal to it. 

51 mins

It's all United as Valncia plays in Pogba on the right. The French midfielder has a good 15 seconds to decide but when he crosses Ndidi is there to head it clear, but only about six yards outside of the box. 

Lukaku is down on the edge of the box as he and Maguire continue their battle. 

It has been all the home side since play has resumed. 

48 mins

Lukaku thought he had space in the box to set up Mkhitaryan but the Leicester defence are alert to the danger. United are starting this half as they ended the first.

Both managers are up in the technical area but a win for the home side would take them back to the top of the table. 

Second-half underway

The Foxes will feel confident after keeping it goalless in the first-half but Jose Mourinho did not look happy as he returned to the dugout. 

Goalless at the break

Still 0-0 and it hasn't been the most boring game for you, but lets hope we see some goals in the second-half. 

Injury-time

The lack of extra time should tell you everything you need to know about this game. 

45 mins - Still goalless

Pogba is down as Manchester United claim another penalty shout but the referee waves play on.

39 mins

Fuchs clashed heads with  Pogba but both men are up and well. 

36 mins

Another save from the Foxes keeper from Mkhitaryan.

Pogba just cm's wide of the goal. Another long range effort that just wouldn't go on.

33 mins

United think  they should have a free-kick on the end of the box. It looked like the block from Simpson was deliberate but the ref waved play on. 

30 mins

Another Pogba shot. It's as if Leicester want him to shoot. 

Martial passes his the ball from left wing and he swings at it first time but the left-foot shot is wide of the far post.

Martial tries to open the scoring but his tame shot is straight at the keeper. 

27 mins

Every Leicester player bar Vardy is in their half. They will clearly just ry to use their pace in order to get at the home defense and De Gea. 

Pogba with a wasted  effort just outside the box as another shot goes wide. 

24 mins

It is all United at the moment. The home fans are calling for a foul after Lukaku hits the deck, but it looks like basic competition of two physical players. 

James sends a ball towards the box and Vardy plays it to Okazaki on the edge of the box but his shot is easily caught by De Gea. The Foxes wioll need to take their chances to get anything tonight. 

Pogba aims for the inside of the near post from about 25 yards, but it's not on target. United quickly getting into their stride here.

21 mins - Save and shot

Pogba with the chance this time as he sends a volley wide after Martial's cross into the box.

Schmeichel to the rescue as he reaches across his body with his left arm across to turn away Mata's shot which was heading for the inside of the near post.

18 mins -Ruled offside

Vardy is trying to bring the Foxes into the attack after Ndidi wins the ball in the middle of the part. He plays Albrighton in but Valencia is there to clean up. 

Mata gets the ball in the back of the net and it is wrongly ruled out for offside. Pogba sends a ball into the box for Lukaku. The striker has his back to goal and plays it to Mkhitaryan whose shot is blocked before Mata taps home. 

Famous supporters

Usain Bolt is at the game, decked out in his Red Devils gear as it's well known that he's a huge United fan. 

15 mins

Mkhitaryan has a shot from the edge of the box but Morgan block before  Schmeichel collects easily. 

Everything good united are doing is coming down the far side where Mkhitaryan is and Pogba is regularly drifting over to get involved with play. 

Rashford collects the ball and Blind looks to overlap but the Frenchman runs into traffic.

12 mins

Mahrez takes a free-kick about 35 yards out and Morgan gets a head ot it in the box but he's deemed to be offside, with James looking like he was in a better position. 

United back in possession with Pogba playing a 1-2 with Valencia on the far side of the pitch. Leicester have a throw-in which Mahrez takes, only for Jones to nudge Okazaki off the ball. 

A long ball over the top looks like it will fall perfectly for Vardy who is in the box but De Gea comes and collects. 

9 mins

Mahrez on the ball and he swings a ball in as he tries to find Albrighton in the box, but Valencia had a watchful eye on the former Aston Villa player. 

United are on the attack again. Leicester are clearly looking to stay organised with the hope of catching their hosts on the break. 

Mata gives the ball away in Leicester's box and Bailly reminds Mahrez that he is on his turf as he kicks the ball out of play. 

6 mins

Bailly heads out on the far side after pressure from Vardy as Maguire jogs into the box in preparation for the throw. The long throw only gets to the edge of the box and Jones heads it away. 

Lukaku tries to get the attack going but there is no one to get on the end of his ball. 

3 mins

The referee blows his whistle as Valenia chucks a ball into the box from the right and Michale Oliver decides that Lukaku is all over the James.

Leicester get out of their own half but James sends the ball wide. 

Kick-off

Here we go and . United are already on the attack and Wes Morgan blocks from Mkhitaryan with the Red Devils baring down on the visitors goal. 

Martial replaces Rashford and Leicester unchanged

United: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Blind, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Lukaku.

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Herrera, Fellaini, Lingard, Rashford.

Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Maguire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy.

Subs: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, King, Gray, Iheanacho, Slimani.

Players in the tunnels

Both groups are ready and out on the pitch as United look to keep their 100% win record going and return to the top of the table. 

And this isn't so fancy

Well this is a bit fancy

Ten minutes until  kick-off

United are already the league top scorers with eight goals while Leicester are joint second with five in their first two games. 

I get the sense we could have goals today, especially if the Foxes can hit the ground running. 

15 minutes until kick-off

The players are out on the pitch getting warmed up which is the perfect time to get those snacks in and get comfortable. 

A reminder of  the teams

United: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Jones, Blind, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Lukaku.

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Herrera, Fellaini, Lingard, Rashford.

Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Maguire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy.

Subs: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, King, Gray, Iheanacho, Slimani.

A tale of two Leicester strikers

The Foxes' fans will be extremely happy to see Vardy back on the pitch after he limped over during the win over Brighton. He's got two of their five goals this season, but United will do well not to ignore Okazaki who also has two this season. He scored a total of three goals in 30 games last season and only got five in their league winning season despite playing 36 games.

I'm not sure about this one

What do you think of this? Maybe he couldn't decide which player he liked more. 

A familiar face at Old Trafford earlier

The all important table 

The home team are currently second but could go top if they win their third consecutive league game, as they are currently one point  behind their local rivals, Manchester City and Huddersfield who are top on goal difference.

Leicester are ninth and could find themselves in the Champions League places if they talk all three points away from Old Trafford and dependent on results from the 3pm games. 

After two games

Jose Mourinho's men have had a 100% record so far, scoring eight goals in their two wins over West Ham and Swansea.

The visitors recovered from their 4-3 opening day defeat Arsenal to beat Brighton 2-0 at home last time out. 

The visitors

Leicester: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Maguire, Fuchs, Mahrez, Ndidi, James, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy.

Subs: Hamer, Chilwell, Amartey, King, Gray, Iheanacho, Slimani.

Those teams without the fancy graphics

Manchester United: De gea, Valencia, Bailly, Jone, Blind, Matic, Pogba, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Martial Lukaku.

Subs: Romero, Darmian, Smalling, Herrera, Fellaini, Lingard, Rashford. 

Changes

So Anthony Martial starts ahead of Marcus Rashford after the Frenchman scoring the final goal in their 4-0 win over Swansea City, last weekend.  

The visitors start with the same team that lined up against league new boys Brighton.

Team News for Leicester City

Team News for Manchester United

Hello!

Good afternoon and welcome to Manchester United vs Leicester City in the Premier League, with kick-off at 5:30pm.

What time does the match start, what TV channel is it on and what is our prediction?

What is it?

It's Manchester United's second home Premier League of the season and Leicester are their opponents. 

When is it?

The game is the televised late kick-off on Saturday. 

What time is kick-off?

Proceedings get under way at Old Trafford at 5.30pm

What TV channel is it on?

The match is live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport 4K UHD and coverage starts from 5pm. 

What is the team news?

Long-term absentees Ashley Young and Luke Shaw returned to action for United's Under-23s on Monday, but Young is closer to full comeback to the first team than Shaw. Marcos Rojo also returned to training on Tuesday after a knee injury, but Mourinho has vowed not the rush the Argentinian defender back, saying: "There is no limping, there are no details of injury, but that is just body language, that is just straight running. Football is different, we have to respect the timings and the timings are bringing Marcos to the team around December." 

Wes Morgan and Jamie Vardy sustained knocks against Brighton but are in contention to start. Kelechi Iheanacho will struggle to haunt his former rivals as he struggles through a toe problem but Danny Drinkwater did train through the week. Vicente Iborra and Robert Huth are still out. 

What are they saying?

Jose Mourinho: 

[Leicester’s] game against Arsenal ended with a defeat but could have ended with a victory 

At home, they won comfortably [against Brighton last weekend], midweek [against Sheffield United in the Carabao Cup] they changed their whole team and they won very comfortably with players that probably, some of them they are not even going to be on the bench tomorrow. So, I think they are back to their normality and, for me, their normality is a very difficult match for us tomorrow.

Craig Shakespeare on summer signing Vicente Iborra: 

He is not training yet. I think it will be after the international break. Once we get over United, we have a couple of weeks and I am hoping we can up his fitness and get him out onto the grass. He hasn't joined in with the squad yet.

I am always trying to look on the positive side and say you will be back in one week when I know it probably will be two or three, really just to put some positivity into him. But I am sure we will have him back sooner rather than later.

Manchester United were convincing winners against Leicester last season Credit: Getty Images

What are the odds?

  • Manchester United 1/3
  • Leicester 12/1
  • Draw 23/5

What's our prediction?

Leicester showed themselves to be slippery customers at the Emirates in the first game of the season, with Jamie Vardy back to his best as a perpetual nuisance. United are somewhat more balanced than Arsenal however, and Mourinho will not want to offer him the same space in behind nor room on the counter-attack. Leicester will put two banks of four behind the ball and be spirited opponents, but United look to be over their Old Trafford jitters are will be patient enough to get the job done. 

Verdict: Man Utd 3 Leicester 1

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