Man Utd 3 - 1 Leicester

Manchester United dismiss Leicester after Robin van Persie’s stunning strike

Man Utd 3 - 1 Leicester

Robin van Persie 27
Radamel Falcao 32
Wes Morgan 44 o.g.

Marcin Wasilewski 80



After the horror show at the King Power Stadium this was a welcome relief for another new-look Manchester United, even if there was a nagging suspicion that the old-look Manchester United might have done more than rest on their laurels and lose the second half one-nil.

Playing 4-4-2 makes Louis van Gaal’s ass twitch (his expression) but in his search for goals against the Premier League’s bottom club he successfully employed an extremely attacking variation, almost 4-3-3, with Ángel di Maria at the point of a midfield diamond and Daley Blind the only player ahead of the back four with any real defensive credentials. Ander Herrera, left on the bench despite Michael Carrick’s unavailability, must wonder what he must do to get a game, though at least United fans got a chance to evaluate Adnan Januzaj’s progress and see Di Maria in a more orthodox role.

That meant Wayne Rooney playing deeper than ever in midfield, and the United captain was lucky to get away with a wayward back pass midway through the first half that almost let Jeff Schlupp in on goal. Van Gaal’s ass must have been twitching like a rabbit’s nose at that point but Antonio Valencia just got back in time to put Schlupp off, hurrying the forward into shooting high and wide. That was the first real opening of the game, though Robin van Persie missed a decent chance a couple of minutes later, miscueing completely from a Luke Shaw cross that gave him a presentable opportunity in front of goal.

So far so typical of United’s patchy season, yet sooner or later the class acts in the home line-up were bound to click. Just as the home crowd was in danger of forgetting what a goal looked like two arrived in the space of five minutes either side of the half hour mark, United asserting their authority and recovering their reputation for attacking flair at the same time. The opener was a goal of the highest class despite a suspicion of offside, not quite as wonderful as Van Persie’s header against Spain in last year’s World Cup but an equally effective contribution from the same two Dutch players. Blind won the ball cleanly just beyond the centre circle and sent a searching ball forward for Van Persie to run onto, one that the striker was again able to dispatch with a single touch, this time producing a right foot half volley. Van Persie was also involved in the next goal, supplying the pass for Di Maria to accept and accelerate into the box, and though Mark Schwarzer saved the initial shot Radamel Falcao was sharp enough to beat Marcin Wasilewski to the rebound.

While a two-goal cushion ought to have been enough for a United side returning to form, memories are still fresh of the 3-1 lead surrendered at Leicester in September in the 5-3 defeat that Van Gaal referred to in his programme notes as his worst day in his present job. Leicester did not look like mounting a similar fightback, though United were grateful all the same for an extra goal before the interval. Rooney’s corner was touched on by the influential Blind, and Wes Morgan’s attempt to head clear only found Schwarzer’s top left corner.

With Marcos Rojo assured at the heart of the United defence there was no way back for Leicester. When David Nugent was gifted a chance shortly after coming on after Phil Jones under-cooked a back pass, David de Gea was alert to the situation and left his line to get a crucial touch. Nugent’s arrival did signal a determination to keep going from Leicester, however, and the visitors did manage to deny United a clean sheet when Wasilewski beat Rooney and Jones to head in Marc Albrighton’s cross from close range.

Leicester had a couple more half chances in the closing minutes, never looking like causing a shock but threatening a second goal which would have annoyed Van Gaal as much as the crowd, though Di Maria should really have put the game to bed after showing brilliant control to bring down a Rooney pass five minutes from time. With the hard work done, the Argentine should either have produced a shot on target or squared to the unmarked James Wilson, instead he blazed wastefully into the Stretford End.

Guardian