Author: BBC Sport
Marcus Rashford scored twice to continue his hot streak and help Manchester United overcome Leicester in the Premier League.
Rashford is in the form of his career and is leading United’s resurgence, taking his tally to 24 goals for the season with strikes in each half at Old Trafford.
Both efforts were clinical finishes, latching on to passes from Bruno Fernandes and Fred before bearing down on goal and coolly slotting past Danny Ward.
Substitute Jadon Sancho finished off a fine team move to seal all three points for Erik ten Hag’s side, but it could have been a very different story.
Leicester created the better chances when it was goalless and their failure to find a way past David de Gea proved costly.
The Spaniard made a stunning reflex save to deny Harvey Barnes from close range and kept out Kelechi Iheanacho’s diving header with another superb stop.
Defeat ended Leicester’s three-game unbeaten run and an inconsistent season sees them remain in 14th place in the table.
Red-hot Rashford leads United’s charge
Manchester United face the most important week of Ten Hag’s short tenure, coming up against Barcelona in their Europa League play-off second leg on Thursday, followed by a trip to Wembley where they face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
They go into those two huge games bang in form, having lost just three of their 22 league games, and ruthless finishing ended Leicester’s challenge on this occasion.
Leading the charge is England international Rashford, who has now secured his most prolific campaign for United with three months still to play.
The 25-year-old took his tally to 17 goals in 18 games since the end of the World Cup, the most by a player in Europe’s top five leagues.
His goals had the hallmarks of a player full of confidence, stroking into the net when through on goal and he could have had a hat-trick when he beat two defenders but drilled his shot straight at Ward.
Diogo Dalot missed a glaring chance from six yards out, miscuing the excellent Fernandes’ cross, while Lisandro Martinez headed against the crossbar in a second half that was bossed by the home side.
United’s aim at the start of the campaign would have been a return to the Champions League and they are well on their way to achieving that, lying third in the table and 10 points clear of Tottenham in fifth.
Looking above them, is a title charge out of the question? United are five points adrift of leaders Arsenal, although the Gunners have played a game fewer.
Foxes rue missed chances
This was a case of what might have been for Leicester.
Brendan Rodgers’ side came into the game following a thumping 4-1 victory over Spurs last Saturday but will rue the failure to take their opportunities this time.
De Gea denied Barnes and Iheanacho to claim a 180th clean sheet for the Red Devils, drawing alongside Peter Schmeichel’s club record.
Leicester’s January signing Tete flashed a shot wide of the far post and James Maddison dragged an effort off target as the Foxes went home empty-handed.
The hosts could have had a man sent off when Marcel Sabitzer caught defender Wout Faes on the knee with his studs, but neither the referee nor VAR took any action.
Leicester will look to get back to winning ways but face another big test, hosting top of the table Arsenal on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Player of the match
RashfordMarcus Rashford
with an average of 9.00
Manchester United
- Squad number10Player nameRashfordAverage rating
9.00
Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
8.43
Squad number25Player nameSanchoAverage rating
8.23
- Squad number8Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
8.06
Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating
7.98
- Squad number6Player nameLi MartínezAverage rating
7.83
- Squad number29Player nameWan-BissakaAverage rating
7.42
Squad number2Player nameLindelöfAverage rating
7.31
Squad number20Player nameDiogo DalotAverage rating
7.27
- Squad number15Player nameSabitzerAverage rating
7.17
- Squad number73Player nameMainooAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number27Player nameWeghorstAverage rating
6.84
Squad number17Player nameFredAverage rating
6.82
Squad number39Player nameMcTominayAverage rating
6.75
- Squad number49Player nameGarnachoAverage rating
6.65
- Squad number36Player nameElangaAverage rating
6.57
Leicester City
-
Squad number10Player nameMaddison
Average rating
5.90
-
Squad number7Player nameBarnes
Average rating
5.50
-
Squad number1Player nameWard
Average rating
5.39
-
Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
Average rating
5.35
-
Squad number24Player nameMendy
Average rating
5.32
-
Squad number37Player nameTetê
Average rating
5.27
-
Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
Average rating
5.24
-
Squad number27Player nameCastagne
Average rating
5.17
-
Squad number16Player nameKristiansen
Average rating
5.09
-
Squad number3Player nameFaes
Average rating
5.04
-
Squad number15Player nameSouttar
Average rating
4.83
-
Squad number8Player nameTielemans
Average rating
4.80
-
Squad number26Player namePraet
Average rating
4.64
-
Squad number42Player nameSoumaré
Average rating
4.48
-
Squad number9Player nameVardy
Average rating
3.91
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
1de Gea
20Dalot2Lindelöf6Li Martínez23Shaw
15Sabitzer17Fred
8Bruno Fernandes27Weghorst49Garnacho
10Rashford
- 1de Gea
- 20Dalot
- 2Lindelöf
- 6Li Martínez
- 23ShawSubstituted forWan-Bissakaat 69’minutes
- 15SabitzerSubstituted forMainooat 80’minutes
- 17FredSubstituted forMcTominayat 59’minutes
- 8Bruno Fernandes
- 27Weghorst
- 49GarnachoSubstituted forSanchoat 45’minutes
- 10RashfordSubstituted forElangaat 69’minutes
Substitutes
- 12Malacia
- 19Varane
- 22Heaton
- 25Sancho
- 28Pellistri
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 36Elanga
- 39McTominay
- 73Mainoo
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Ward
27Castagne15Souttar3Faes16Kristiansen
22Dewsbury-Hall24Mendy
37Tetê10Maddison7Barnes
14Iheanacho
- 1Ward
- 27Castagne
- 15Souttar
- 3FaesBooked at 45mins
- 16Kristiansen
- 22Dewsbury-HallSubstituted forTielemansat 59’minutes
- 24MendyBooked at 48minsSubstituted forSoumaréat 59’minutes
- 37TetêSubstituted forPraetat 75’minutes
- 10Maddison
- 7Barnes
- 14IheanachoSubstituted forVardyat 75’minutes
Substitutes
- 8Tielemans
- 9Vardy
- 18Amartey
- 20Daka
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 25Ndidi
- 26Praet
- 31Iversen
- 42Soumaré
Referee:Stuart Attwell
Attendance:73,578
Match Stats
Live Text
Post update
Match ends, Manchester United 3, Leicester City 0.