Manchester United made it four games unbeaten in the Premier League as they claimed a 3-0 victory over a poor Leicester City side who’s fate now looks sealed following this result at the King Power Stadium.
**Ruben Amorim**’s side opened the scoring when Bruno Fernandes played a delicate ball over the top to the desperately out of form Rasmus Højlund who drove into the box and finished with absolute precision. The relief on the young Dane’s face was palpable.
The game will more than likely be remembered for an injury to uber talented centre back Ayden Heaven as the youngster had to be stretchered off early in the second period.
Alejandro Garnacho, like Højlund, had been on a terrible goal drought and when he has a goal disallowed, you wonder whether it would ever happen for the young Argentine. However, minutes later, Garnacho’s effort squeezed past Mads Hermansen.
The cherry on top of the cake was Fernandes’ late goal from range, which was lovely and one of his best of the campaign.
The result lifts United above Spurs and is another small step in the right direction. For Leicester it’s a result that sees them stay nine points behind Wolves and means they now need something approaching a miracle to stay in the division.
Story of the match
**Ruud van Nistelrooy**stuck with the same side that lost 1-0 to **Chelsea**last weekend, opting to match **Manchester United**’s 5-2-3 formation.
Ruben Amorim made three changes to the side that impressed in mid-week as they beat Spanish outfit Real Sociedad 4-1 at Old Trafford. Victor Lindelöf, Manuel Ugarte and Christian Eriksen came into the team at the expense of Casemiro, Joshua Zirkzee and the suspended Patrick Dorgu.
The Foxes came into the game knowing they needed all three points, following Wolves' victory over Southampton. For United, every Premier League game is now just an opportunity to work Amorim’s ideas and tactics, as they look to put all their eggs in the Europa League basket.
The first chance went the way of the home side. Wilfred Ndidi played a well-timed ball into the 18-yard box for Jamie Vardy to run on to. His effort forced a straightforward save from André Onana, but it was an encouraging sign for a team that had not scored in their previous five home games.
The two sides have scored the majority of their Premier League goals in the second half of games this season, and it was clear why. Both looked slow out of the blocks in the opening phases and could not string more than three passes together at a time.
Eriksen very nearly opened the scoring after shooting from an outrageously tight angle just outside the box. His effort beat compatriot Mads Hermansen but struck the frame of the goal. Finally, there was some quality on display at the King Power.
And that quality soon spread to fellow Danish international Rasmus Højlund as he scored his first goal in 21 games to put United ahead. Captain **Bruno Fernandes**lofted a gorgeous ball over the Leicester defence, which Højlund ran onto and finished with his weaker left foot into the bottom corner.
The young forward’s relief was evident. He desperately needed the goal, and it was a tidy finish that displayed what the former **Atalanta**man is capable of.
The visitors' goal severely deflated the atmosphere in the stadium. Just a few minutes earlier, the fans had been right behind the team, but the goal really knocked the stuffing out of them.
The home side responded with a nice move that nearly resulted in an Ndidi goal, but Uruguay international Ugarte managed to nick the ball off the experienced midfielder's foot and guide it out of play.
Since joining from Arsenal, 18-year-old Ayden Heaven has quickly gained his manager's trust. The teenager was making his first Premier League start at King Power and was tremendously impressive during the first period.
Consistently putting in brave challenges and making important blocks, including one destined for the back of the net from Paston Daka. To say this was just his fourth professional appearance, he looked right at home.
Second half
Leicester started the second period well, as Boubakary Soumaré’s pass found Vardy who squared the ball to Daka who stretched to get on the end of it, but instead, slid into Heaven who immediately signalled the distress he was in.
A real shame for the young man who had impressed in this game and was starting to make a name for himself. He was stretchered off the pitch.
Amorim has no recognised centre backs on the bench, so opted to utilise United academy graduate Toby Collyer, who filled in at right-wing back, and Noussair Mazraoui moved into the back three.
United thought they had doubled their lead through Alejandro Garnacho when Højlund put the Argentine through on goal and he finished with aplomb. But the 20-year-old strayed a fraction offside, and the goal was ruled out.
But just a few minutes later, Garnacho had his goal, as Fernandes rolled the ball to him around 12-yards out. United’s number 17 took a quick snapshot, which Hermansen got a hand to but could not keep out.
Amorim looked to his bench after the goal, bringing on Zrikzee, Casemiro, and most notably Harry Amass, who was making his senior debut on his 18th birthday.
Five minutes later, van Nistelrooy’s side nearly had a goal back as Vardy made a trademark run and squared the ball to Facundo Buonanotte, but his close-range effort was blocked by the towering Matthijs de Ligt, who was having an excellent game.
From a Leicester perspective, the game now felt like it was petering out. All the noise was coming from the United fans, and there was radio silence amongst the home support, who knew this result all but confirmed their relegation.
Leicester’s misery was compounded when Fernandes scored a beautiful curling finish from the edge of the box to get a third for United.
A 3-0 victory for the away side was a fair result, but in truth United never really had to get out of first gear, a damnning indictment of the Leciester team.
Player of the match – Bruno Fernandes
Usually, when Bruno Fernandes is player of the match, it means he has dragged his side to something and done the majority of the work himself. But tonight was not quite that.
Instead, the Portuguese international delivered a calm performance in which he oozed class both on and off the ball. He is thriving in this deeper role as it allows him to see more of the ball and control the game for his side.
His goal was a lovely one from the edge of the box that was typical Fernandes.
The captain also got two assists for players who desperately needed goals, and he will hope to get a bit more support from them moving forward.