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The Man United players congratulate Mkhitaryan on his goal. Mike Egerton
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Leicester City v Manchester United, Premier League

The struggling Foxes hosted Jose Mourinho and his team at the King Power Stadium.

JUST TWO PREMIER League matches today and with Manchester City leaving it late to claim three points against Swansea City, city rivals Manchester United will be aiming for a similar result away to champions Leicester City.

The visitors are looking to close the five-point gap on the top four, while Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes are loitering dangerously close to the relegation zone and desperately need to avoid defeat.

Kick-off is just over 30 minutes away.

Manchester United captain has not travelled to the King Power Stadium today, with the club revealing that he is suffering from an illness.

Manchester United v Hull City - Premier League - Old Trafford Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

Here are the two starting line-ups:

Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth. Fuchs, Mahrez, Drinkwater, Ndidi, Musa, Vardy, Okazaki.

 

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Bailly, Smalling, Rojo, Herrera, Pogba, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Ibrahimovic, Rashford.

 

We’re minutes away now, so how do you see this one going?


Poll Results:

Man United win (268)
Draw (71)
Leicester City win (69)

KICK-OFF - We’ve begun and Leicester attempt to attack straight away but it’s snuffed out by Marcos Rojo. Leicester are wearing their traditional all-blue kit, while United are in their home colours of red and white.

Decent early chance for Leicester. Mahrez looks to curl a cross towards Robert Huth at the back post, but Rojo is well-placed to make a timely-interception with his head.

Man United’s first shot on target comes from Rojo, who has a go with the outside of his boot after an Ibrahimovic flick-on. But it’s pretty tame and doesn’t cause Schmeichel any trouble.

Bailly clears the ball with Vardy in hot pursuit and the pair tangle as they fall to the ground. A bit of handbags ensues and referee Anthony Taylor steps in to have a word. Free-kick to Man United.

So Paul Pogba appears to have his own emoji printed on his boots. Hmmm…

Close from Leicester. A Mahrez free-kick is flicked on by Vardy at the front post and Morgan goes up for the header but the ball comes off Pogba and goes out for a corner. That’s dealt with and United earn a goal-kick.

Opportunities at both ends. Musa bursts into the United box but Bailly does enough and the Nigerian forward loses his footing. Then Mkhitaryan receives the ball out wide and cuts it back for Rashford, who can’t keep his half-volley down.

Danny Simpson is limping off the pitch after injuring his ankle during a challenge on Ibrahimovic. That could be the end of the former Man United youth player’s day.

YELLOW CARD – Mata goes flying into a tackle on Vardy and rightly picks up a booking.

SAVE! Some nice build-up play involving Ibrahimovic and Pogba, then Rashford cuts inside and drills the ball towards the bottom corner. Schmeichel gets down well to push it around the post, however.

From the resulting corner, Smalling heads at goal but it hits Pogba and goes out of play.

GOAL! Leicester City 0-1 Manchester United (Henrikh Mkhitaryan)

There’s the opener. Mkhitaryan breaks from the halfway line and outpaces Morgan before blasting past Schmeichel. A fine finish but Huth was at fault.

GOAL! Leicester City 0-2 Manchester United (Zlatan Ibrahimovic) 

A second in quick succession and Leicester are shell-shocked. Valencia picks out Zlatan and United’s top scorer clinically side-foots home.

Leicester create and opening and Ndidi has a strike but De Gea smothers.

Half-time: Leicester City 0-2 Manchester United 

SECOND HALF – We’re back underway. No changes on either side.

GOAL! Leicester City 0-3 Manchester United (Juan Mata) 

United begin the second half as they finished the first. A super move involving Mata, Mkhitaryan and Ibrahimovic ends in the Spaniard adding his side’s third of the day. The final pass from Mkhitaryan to pick him out was terrific.

BOOKING – Herrera is shown a yellow card for a foul on Vardy.

And there’s another one for Pogba, who brings down Ndidi.

De Gea isn’t happy with his team-mates after a Mahrez free-kick goes through the wall before bouncing narrowly wide.

United should be 4-0 ahead. A ball over the top catches the Leicester defence out and Mata is through one-on-one with Schmeichel. He tries to dink it over the head of the Danish goalkeeper but doesn’t get enough on the lob and it’s saved.

The away side are in complete control at the moment and Mata has another effort after collecting a long ball. His chip is too high and sails over the bar.

SUBSTITUTION – Marouane Fellaini has been introduced for Mata with 14 minutes plus injury time on the clock,

This is all-too-easy for the away team now and the game has resembled a training match in the past few minutes as United’s players exchange neat passes and move the ball from one side of the pitch to the other.

As I write, Valencia sends a cut-back to Mkhitaryan but he leans back to shoot over.

ANOTHER CHANGE – Rashford is off with Ashley Young taking his place.

Valencia has caught Gray with a high boot and concedes the free-kick. It’s lofted into the box, where Ibrahimovic heads behind for a corner. That is cleared but Leicester keep possession and attack again until Vardy is penalised for a soft foul on De Gea.

Full-time: Leicester City 0-3 Manchester United 

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