[Highlights – Post-Match Reactions]
Manchester United 3 Leicester 0
Rashford (25, 56) Sancho (61)
Marcus Rashford scored twice to break Leicester’s resistance and put Manchester United close to the Premier League summit. United are now just five points off the top, having played a game more than Arsenal. City, in second, are just three points ahead.
It could’ve been different. Leicester started more brightly and for the first twenty minutes, were by far the better team. United looked tired, disorganised and off the pace. Luckily DeGea had his wits about him. He made two stunning saves. First to deny a close-range effort from Barnes and then with a Banks’ style save from an Iheanacho header. Leicester were unlucky but looked certain to score as they dominated possession. Then, from what was almost United’s first real attack, Fernandes found Rashford in space and he made no mistake with the finish. It was cruel and clinical, but never in doubt. Leicester had almost a dozen chances in the first half but DeGea saves aside, never came close to scoring.
Sancho came on for Garnacho at halftime. From then on, United were rampant. Gone was the hesitancy and confusion of the first. It was now relentless. Rashford, who had moved to the left with Sancho’s arrival, was found running into space by Fred. He took a few touches and then smashed it home.
United’s third was a vibrant affair. Rashford had the ball centrally. He played it into the path of the onrushing Sancho. He slid it wide to Fernandes, who played it back into Sancho’s feet for a first-time finish. It was glorious football, with Sancho looking reinvigorated. If United can bring the second-half form into the Barcelona game on Thursday, we have a chance.
Manchester United:
De Gea, Dalot, Shaw, Lindelof, Martinez, Fred, Sabitzer, Fernandes, Garnacho, Rashford, Weghorst.
Subs: Heaton, Malacia, Varane, Sancho, Pellistri, Wan-Bissaka, Elanga, McTominay, Mainoo.
Leicester City:
Ward, Castagne, Souttar, Faes, Kristiansen, Dewsbury-Hall, Mendy, Tetê, Maddison, Barnes, Iheanacho
Subs:Tielemans, Vardy, Amartey, Daka, Ricardo Pereira, Ndidi, Praet, Iversen, Soumaré