Man United 1-2 Leicester: 5 talking points after massive win
By Nathan Wong
3. Leicester’s midfield shines once again
Manchester United must be kicking themselves for not attempting to buy Youri Tielemans in 2019. In the first half, Leicester’s midfield two were admittedly very sloppy in possession but in the second we saw why the duo are branded as one of the best double-pivots in the Premier League.
A special mention must go to Wilfried Ndidi, who epitomised midfield domination with six tackles and admirable composure on the ball under pressure. Therefore, it is no surprise that United are one of the many leading lights who are interested in the Nigerian powerhouse.
By contrast, Tielemans cut a frustrating figure in the first 45. Despite getting the assist for Thomas’ goal there were too many misplaced passes and uncharacteristically poor decisions. Even so, the Belgian showed his future ‘captain’ credentials with an excellent second-half showing. Highlights included an excellent threaded pass to Iheanacho, with Youri also finding excellent positions in between the lines.
Additionally, the ever-dependable Marc Albrighton repaid Rodgers’ faith with another hardworking and quality performance, with the set-piece for the winner being of an exceptional standard.
Though ‘flashier’ players hog the headlines, Albrighton’s work ethic and undoubted quality on the ball is an invaluable asset to Brendan Rodgers and is why the former Villa wideman has become a fan’s favourite.
4. Mentality monsters
After the disaster on Friday, every pundit under the sun was questioning Leicester’s resolve and ‘bottle’, and the Foxes provided the perfect response. In a game where things could have gone horribly wrong,
Many would say United gave us a gift, with the 10 changes meaning Rodgers’ men were against a team short on match fitness and cohesion. Nevertheless, Solskjaer’s second string put out a spirited performance and were arguably the better team in the first half. Although United’s limitations were laid bare in the second half, with the influence of Matic in particular fading badly, Leicester still had to carry out a professional job.
Çağlar Söyüncü epitomised this resilience. Despite committing the cardinal sin of leaving a ‘lazy leg, which led to Greenwood’s equaliser, what better way to respond than to grab the winner. A bullet header from a corner, of all places, was the perfect response to what had been a turbulent week for the Turk.