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Leicester City and Manchester United played out a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium on Saturday night with Jamie Vardy creating Premier League history. The English striker scored in his 11th consecutive EPL appearance but Bastian Schweinsteiger scored late in the first half to ensure the Red Devils would come away with at least a point although the away side had 69% possession.
Squads
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Huth, Morgan (C), Fuchs, Mahrez, Kante, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Okazaki, Vardy
Manchester United: De Gea, Darmian, McNair, Smalling, Blind, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Mata, Young, Rooney, Martial
First Half: Jamie Vardy goal sets a new Premier League record
Manchester United started with a 3-5-2 formation with McNair, Smalling, Blind at the back supported by Darmian and Young on the flanks. Leicester City had the early runnings in the first 15 minutes of the game as United sat back and thwarted attacks.
Paddy McNair was tasked with marking Jamie Vardy and the English striker was proving to be a handful, getting an early opportunity in the box but forced to pass under pressure. Ashley Young went into the book as early as the 14th minute when he fouled Riyad Mahrez when the Algerian was looking to launch a counter-attack.
United had a few chances of their own in the first quarter of the game but failed to make it work in the final third. Young was guilty of wasting a cross to the far post with nobody in support while Rooney had a shot on target that was saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
Jamie Vardy then rewrote the history books when he scored the opening goal in the 24th minute. What started out as a United corner, the Foxes soon launched a counter-attack that saw Christian Fuchs send a pass through to Vardy in the box. It was a trademark Vardy goal as he ran on to the ball and took a shot with his right foot into the bottom left corner to score in 11 consecutive Premier League games – breaking a record that belonged to a United legend, Ruud van Nistelrooy (10 games).
The goal increased his tally this season to 14 goals in as many games this season. The Foxes have scored in each and every game so far this season and Vardy’s goal ensured that streak would continue.
United never seemed to regain their composure after the goal and were unable to get going, losing balls in Leicester’s half. Whenever they did get a chance on goal, they were either poor efforts or well blocked by Schmeichel.
But with a minute added on in the first half, United equalised from a corner kick conceded by Daniel Drinkwater. Daley Blind sent in a cross that was headed home by Bastian Schweinsteiger at the edge of the six-yard box. The German midfielder escaped his marker Shinji Okazaki to head home his first goal in a United shirt. That was how the half ended as the teams went into the break with the score tied at 1-1.
Half-time: Leicester City 1-1 Manchester United
| MATCHES | PLAYER | CLUB | SEASON |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11* | Jamie Vardy | Leicester City | 2015/16 |
| 10 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | Manchester United | 2002/03 |
| 8 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | Manchester United | 2001/02 |
| Daniel Sturridge | Liverpool | 2013/14 | |
| 7 | Mark Stein | Chelsea | 1993/94 |
| Thierry Henry | Arsenal | 1999/2000 | |
| Ian Wright | Arsenal | 1994/95 | |
| Emmanuel Adebayor | Arsenal | 2007/08 | |
| Alan Shearer | Newcastle United | 1996/97 |
Second Half
The Foxes almost got going in less than two minutes after the restart. A Marc Albrighton cross floated into the centre of the box was just a few inches above Vardy’s head as United cleared the danger.
Schweinsteiger almost doubled his goal tally soon after when he got his head on the end of a Young free-kick but Schmeichel was up to the task and blocked his effort. Wayne Rooney was on hand for the rebound but was marginally offside, even getting a kick in the gut as Leicester tried to clear the danger, although he was able to carry on.
United slowly started to dominate proceedings as the half wore on, keeping possession as Leicester sat back looking to counter when they won the ball. Ranieri then made his first change on the hour mark as Okazaki made way for Argentine striker Leonardo Ulloa.
The Argentine needed only five minutes to get a clear chance on goal. On a Leicester counter-attack, Riyad Mahrez provided the 29-year-old with a delightful through ball but Ulloa’s effort after neatly side-stepping Chris Smalling was straight at David De Gea who managed to clear the danger.
Louis van Gaal then decided to take off his captain with Memphis Depay replacing Rooney in the 68th minute. Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri substituted Albrighton for Jeffrey Schlupp with 20 minutes to go.
Vardy was still at it, pressing the United defence into making errors or clearances. In the 74th minute, it paid off when Blind opted to clear instead of recycling possession after intercepting an Ulloa pass. The resultant throw-in from Fuchs was sent into the box a la Delap but the Foxes didn’t have anyone near the six-yard box to capitalise. At the other end, a Memphis cross was sent in towards the far post but Juan Mata’s effort was blocked.
Ritchie de Laet then came on for Danny Simpson with 10 minutes to go. Three minutes later, Memphis almost scored to give United the lead. A Darmian header into the box was pounced upon by the Dutch forward but his effort was blasted over the bar.
There would be no more clear cut chances in spite of two minutes of stoppage time and the teams would share a point each, allowing Manchester City to top the table on goal difference.
