Juan Mata's brace looked to have sealed victory for Jose Mourinho's men, before the English centre-back struck deep into injury time
JOSE MOURINHO has been football’s Scrooge this Christmas – and Harry Maguire added to his festive foul mood.
The Special One has been upset over fixture scheduling this year but at least looked set for a win when Juan Mata’s double cancelled out Jamie Vardy’s opener.
Then Maguire struck deep in injury time to add to Mourinho’s problems.
Watching Manchester City storm clear by 13 points has put a permanent grimace on his face.
His team are refusing to five up, showing some fight after going behind to Vardy’s 50th Prem goal.
But the sky blue ribbons for the Premier League trophy will get dusted off soon enough - City look unbeatable and it surely a matter of time before they United concede defeat in the title race.
They could easily have won this game but fluffed big chances when 2-1 ahead.
United need their big players back to their best, just like the start of the season when Romelu Lukaku was firing on all cylinders.
The contrast between Vardy and Lukaku was a big talking point before kick-off.
Lukaku has been accused of being a flat-track bully, scoring his goal against the weaker teams – but Vardy saves his special stuff for the big boys.
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His first top-flight goal came against them, as did his strike that smashed Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of netting in 11 Prem games in a row.
He notched his half-century yesterday with a cool finish after United were opened up with a good old-fashioned punt up field.
Wilfred Ndidi hoofed it forward into the right area and his pacy team-mates were there catch Mourinho’s side dreadfully out of position.
Most United players were up for a corner and Ndidi’s volley was allowed to bounce, Riyad Mahrez only had Chris Smalling for company.
Vardy was already yards ahead of Phil Jones and sprang to life when Mahrez held up the ball and waited for his pal before sending him through.
And Vardy did the rest, slotting past David De Gea for his second goal in five days after scoring against City in midweek.
The bad memories of the King Power must have come flooding back for Mourinho.
It was at this ground where his second spell at Chelsea fell apart and he ended up getting sacked.
He felt players “betrayed” him during that awful evening for the Special One two years ago.
But nobody could accuse his United players of not putting a shift in for the Portuguese coach.
Despite the setback they clawed their way back into the contest and eventually got an equaliser.
Kasper Schmeichel had been doing his old man Peter proud with some early saves, firstly tipping over from Jesse Lingard after an effort was deflected.
The United legend’s son also saved a fierce Paul Pogba drive – and it needed something with precise accuracy to beat him.
It came thanks to Mata’s finish after some build-up play on the edge of the Foxes penalty area.
Anthony Martial ricocheted one into the box and Lingard laid it back to Mata.
The Spaniard had a Harry Maguire and Wes Morgan – a wall of blue – right in front of him but squeezed his effort into the bottom corner.
United seemed determined to shoot themselves in the foot before the half-time whistle blew.
Maguire should really have taken advantage when Marc Albrighton’s free-kick found him totally unmarked right in front of goal – but his touch let him down.
Mourinho must have dished out a rollicking at the break for his side’s shocking defending.
He certainly did not look a ray of sunshine when he emerged from the tunnel well before his players got back on the pitch for the second half.
His mood would not have got any better a United got cut open again and were lucky not to concede.
This time Mahrez tormented Ashley Young on the flank and crossed to find Christian Fuchs totally unmarked.
It needed Victor Lindelof to block on the line to prevent Claude Puel’s men going ahead again.
Mourinho wouldn’t have been chuffed with the finishing at the other end, seconds after the Fuchs chance.
This time Lukaku drilled a ball through for Martial, who lofted his finish over the bar when he had plenty of time to beat Schmeichel.
It needed Mata’s second goal to add some Christmas cheer to Mourinho’s festive bad mood.
The Spaniard’s free-kick had fantastic dip as it cleared the wall – but it was straight down the middle of the goal and Schmeichel should have saved it.
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That did not matter to the visiting fans. “Park the bus, park the bus Man United,” they sang as a response to City players taunting them last week.
Lingard should have added extra punishment when he was sent through by Lukaku and went around Schmeichel– but he hit the post with an open goal in front of him.
Daniel Amartey was on as a sub for 17 minutes and picked up two bookings.
The first was for a foul on Young, the second a cynical hack at Marcus Rashford.
But Maguire had the last word, sliding in at the far post from Albrighton’s cross with almost the last kick of the game.
