Match Recap: Manchester United drop points at the death vs. Leicester City
By Wyatt Miner
In the December 23rd matchup between the Red Devils and the Foxes, Manchester United were the better team, despite the match ending in a draw.
Recently, there has been talk that Mourinho’s United is boring to watch. However, Manchester United went to King Power stadium and played an intense 90 minutes. Obviously, games on the road are anything but an easy win. From the first whistle, it was clear that Leicester City were not going to go down easily.
Overall, United did not play to their usual high standards. Manchester United squandered their chances in front of goal. Anthony Martial received a perfect pass from Lukaku and he sent it over the bar.
Additionally, Jesse Lingard got past Kasper Schmeichel and shot the ball off the post. On another attempt at goal, Marcus Rashford lost the ball in the 18 yard box. United failed to capitalize on their attempts at goal. These failures ultimately cost United the game.
On the other hand, Leicester City rarely had chances at goal, but when they did, they converted attempts into points. Leicester’s finishing of the ball looked far superior to Manchester United’s missed opportunities. Riyad Mahrez was key to Leicester City’s attack. He played perfect passes to his teammates and contributed to the team’s play for the whole 90 minutes. Clearly, Leicester City came prepared to tackle the second place Red Devils.
Who showed out during the match?
For United, Pogba was a force in the midfield, especially when paired up with Matic. Also, Jesse Lingard is continuing a run of good form as of recently. Lingard is a creative presence when on the field, and United has lacked that presence since the start of the season. Juan Mata put in a man of the match performance against the Foxes, netting twice in the span of twenty minutes.
Leicester City also had performances worth noting. Of course, Kasper Schmeichel was big for Leicester. He faced a lot of shots from an attack-minded Red Devil side. Further, Mahrez played a big hand in Leicester City’s attack. He assisted on Vardy’s first goal, and played a big role in the midfield. Lastly, Daniel Amartey received a second yellow in the match to bring the Foxes down to 10 men.
Match Highlights
Leicester City’s first goal came in the 27th minute from a heave up-field to Riyad Mahrez, and Jamie Vardy made a long run from the other end of the field to link up inside the box and find the bottom corner on the opposite end of the six yard box.
Thirteen minutes later, Juan Mata found himself in the right place at the right time to get one back for United. It was not the best of goals, but nonetheless, it was a goal. United found their way back into the match.
In the 60th minute, Martial won Manchester United a free kick on the edge of the 18 yard box. Juan Mata and Ashley Young lined up for the kick, and Juan Mata curled it right into the corner, putting United in front.
In added time, Leicester’s Maguire scored off of a last-ditch effort in the last seconds of the game. Manchester United settled, expecting Leicester City to give up, and the Foxes capitalized.
Next: Juan Mata is the embodiment of a classy footballer
The December 23rd matchup between Manchester United and Leicester City is one that both sides’ supporters will not soon forget. From start to finish, the match was thrilling as it ended in a dramatic fashion. Manchester United will move on to face Burnley on the 26th.