MANCHESTER UNITED have been dealt another blow in their Champions League ambitions after drawing 1-1 with Leicester.
Fred cancelled out Kelechi Iheanacho’s opener to level the score at Old Trafford, before James Maddison later had a strike chalked off by VAR.
United sit three points behind fourth-placed Arsenal, though the Gunners have two games in hand.
- Result: Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
- Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Maguire, Varane, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, Pogba Fernandes, Elanga, Sancho
- Leicester XI: Schmeichel, Justin, Evans, Fofana, Castagne, Tielemans, Mendy, Dewsbury-Hall, Maddison, Barnes, Iheanacho
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That’s all from Old Trafford
So, after this evening’s result, Leicester climb up to ninth, whilst Manchester United level on points with Tottenham in sixth.
Both sides will rue their missed chances, but Leicester will go home the happier of the two.
Thank you for reading and goodbye.
.Credit: AP Big points dropped
Manchester United have lost valuable ground in their pursuit on the teams in front of them this evening. Only time will tell if they can still catch up.
It could be only the fifth season in their history that Manchester United haven’t qualified for the Champions League.
Rangnick has said ‘as long as a top four finish is mathematically possible, it is possible.’
What do you reckon, Manchester United fans?
Rangnick on the result and benching Rashford
The Manchester United boss insisted he was not happy with the result, but is remaining positive.
The second half was the better one. We were struggling in the first half to find our rhythm after the international break. The reaction after the goal we conceded was good. The last 15 minutes we had two or three good moments when we could have scored the winning goal but didn’t. We are not happy with the result, but overall the second half was ok.
Ralf Rangnick, Manchester United boss
To many, Rashford was certain to start this evening’s game in place of Ronaldo. However, Rangnick assigned him to the bench.
Here’s what he had to say:
We had to decide between playing Marcus as a striker or Paul Pogba in midfield, and we decided to start with Pogba. After 60 minutes we made the change… It is no secret that Marcus was not full of confidence in the last couple of weeks. We decided to go for Paul.
Ralf Rangnick, Manchester United boss
Maddison has his word on the disallowed goal
James Maddison was one of Leicester’s best players today, calving out some great opportunities for his team-mates.
Here’s what he had to say on his disallowed goal:
It’s one of them. You’ve seen them given, you’ve seen them not given. I’m obviously going to be biased, I don’t think it’s a foul. Itwas a great feeling for a bout three minutes… Even after that, we had chances on the counter, but we’ll take a point. We’re a little bit disappointed that we haven’t come away with three points, which tells you the story about coming to this place at the minute.
James Maddison, Leicester City midfielder
FULL-TIME Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
The whistle is blown, and the points are shared in Manchester.
Wow! an electric last five minutes saw Manchester United come close on several occasions, but Leicester survive the onslaught and are able to hold the Red Devils to a 1-1 draw.
After a poor first half, the game sprung to life in the second.
Iheanacho got the ball rolling, heading past De Gea after a wonderful ball in from Maddison. But, United responded quickly. Fred was in the right place at the right time and fired home from close range after Fernandes’ shot was palmed away into his path. VAR then ruled out Maddison’s goal after a foul in the build up. Manchester United went hell for leather in stoppage time, creating chance after chance, but they were unable to make it count.
.Credit: EPA .Credit: Getty Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
90, Leicester give it away again, and Elanga plays a low ball into Rashford, but the defenders slide in to concede the corner.
Maguire’s header is on target, but Scmeichel is able to hold on to it.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
90, Rashford takes a couple of great touches in the box and gets into a shooting position, but Elanga takes it off him in an offside position.
.Credit: Getty Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
90, It’s wave after wave of United attack. Leicester just cannot get it away. Sancho nearly finds space to shoot but it’s nicked off him.
The ball is then played behind Maddison and United can start again.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
90, Huge chance for United
Dalot swings the ball into Rashord, but the Englishman is forzen to the spot and can’t control it. It bobbles through to Sancho whose shot is wild and wide of the goal.
.Credit: AFP
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
90, The board has gone up for five added minutes, but make that six after these substitutions.
Is it Fergie, sorry, Rangnick time?
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester – Leicester substitution
90, Iheanacho is off for Daka, and Mendy is off for Choudhury
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
89, Manchester United looking lively now.
Matic fires a pass into Fernandes who delictaley flicks it on to Elanga. His cross is defended, but the home side have it back again and look to start another attack.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
87, Some great link up play sets Rahford free in the 18-yard box, but one touch too many sees him dispossessed.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
86, Rashford and Sancho combine to win a corner.
Leicester just about get it away.
Goal disallowed – Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
82, The goal is chalked off for an Iheanacho foul on Varane in the build up to the goal.
The Nigerian’s right leg is deemed to strike Varane’s leg before he slid it into Maddison who fired it inside De Gea’s near post.
Huge roars from the crowd, but it’s cruel on Leicester.
Manchester United 1-2 Leicester
Andre Marriner has been asked to go over to the screen, I think we know what’s next.
Manchester United 1-2 Leicester
There is a VAR check going on…
GOAL! Manchester United 1-2 Leicester
79, Maddison fires it in!
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
77, Matic sprays the ball wide, and it goes straight through the Leicester defence to Elanga. He shapes to shoot, but instead slips it inside to Rashford, but the leicester defender read the idea.
Manchester United groans ring around Old Trafford.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
75, Fernandes somehow wriggles past both Amartey and Tielemans down the by-line. He looks to pick out a player in red, but a Leicester defender gets a foot in.
Phenomenal feet by Fernandes.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester – Manchester united change
74, A short break for the players to get their breath back.
Pogba is off and Matic is on.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
73, It is all happening, now. Maddison is freed down the right, but his ball in is deflected of Varane.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
72, Extraordinary save by De Gea
Maddison curls in another teasing delivery. Fofana meets it brillianlty and heads it towards the corner. However, De Gea acrobatically gets down to tip it past his post.
That looked certain to go in.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester
71, A careless back pass by Sancho frees Iheanacho through on goal. However, he gets the finish all wrong, scooping the ball over the bar.
Manchester United 1-1 Leicester – Leicester change
In the midst of the action, I have forgotten to tell you Amartey has come on to replace Evans.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
