Saturday, December 30
 

Result: Last-ditch Leicester City equaliser frustates Manchester United

Harry Maguire scores a 94th-minute equaliser for Leicester City in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United at the King Power Stadium, where Daniel Amartey saw red for the Foxes.

Harry Maguire scored a stoppage-time equaliser for Leicester City to restrict Manchester United to a 2-2 draw at the King Power Stadium this evening.

Jamie Vardy gave Leicester a 27th-minute lead before Juan Mata replied with a goal either side of half time.

The Spaniard had previously only scored once all season, but came to the party in style with two inch-perfect finishes to set United up for a third straight league win.

However, Leicester did not give up, even after substitute Daniel Amartey was sent off for two yellow cards, and Maguire rescued them a point with the last kick of the game.

Kasper Schmeichel kept United at bay early on with good saves from long-range Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba sighters.

United were caught out by a classic Leicester sucker-punch for the opening goal as Riyad Mahrez teed up Vardy for his 50th Premier League goal.

Chris Smalling was isolated one-on-one with Mahrez from a long punt forward, and the Algerian waited for the run of Vardy who finished confidently into the bottom corner.

The Red Devils equalised five minutes before the break as Mata picked out the bottom corner with a controlled finish from Lingard's layoff.

Leicester had a great opportunity to restore their lead on 44 minutes when Maguire beat the offside trap to get on the end of Marc Albrighton's set piece, but the defender tried to bring the ball down and his touch escaped him.

Another good Leicester chance after the interval fell to a defender as Christian Fuchs lined up a shot from 15 yards following good work from Mahrez on the right, only for Victor Lindelof to make a crucial block in front of David de Gea.

United went straight up the other end and missed a golden opening of their home as Anthony Martial shot over the crossbar from Romelu Lukaku's through-ball.

Martial was lively all game and played a role in United's second by winning a free kick from which Mata squeezed a 20-yard shot underneath the crossbar, out of reach of Schmeichel despite it being fairly central.

The visitors should have killed the game off through either Lingard or Marcus Rashford, who both rounded Schmeichel when through one-on-one, only for the former to strike the post when faced with an open goal, and the latter to stumble to the floor under the Dane's fair challenge.

Leicester's comeback task was made harder by Amartey, on his first Premier League appearance since the opening weekend, picking up two bookings for cynical tackles within 17 minutes of replacing Danny Simpson.

The stage was set for the dramatic conclusion when Smalling picked up an injury in the final few minutes, and was forced to carry on with Jose Mourinho having made all three of his substitutions.

From Albrighton's inviting 94th-minute delivery, Maguire got a run on the limping England international at the back post and finished side-footed across De Gea to send Leicester fans wild with Christmas cheer.

A point apiece leaves United 13 behind league leaders Manchester City, and Leicester consolidated in eighth.

Leicester (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel; Simpson (Amartey, 56'), Morgan, Maguire, Fuchs; Iborra (Okazaki, 67'), Ndidi; Albrighton, Mahrez, Gray (Chilwell, 80'), Vardy

Man United (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Lindelof, Smalling, Jones, Young; Matic, Pogba; Martial (Rashford, 71'), Lingard (Herrera, 76'), Mata (Mkhitaryan, 83'), Lukaku

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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City20191061124958
2Chelsea21143439142545
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd20134343162743
4Liverpool21118248242441
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs20114539201937
6Arsenal20114537251237
7Burnley219751817134
8Leicester CityLeicester217683132-127
9Everton217682532-727
10Watford2174103037-725
11Huddersfield TownHuddersfield216691832-1424
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton215791525-1022
13Bournemouth2155112032-1220
14Stoke CityStoke2155112346-2320
15Southampton204792030-1019
16Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2154121930-1119
17Crystal Palace2046101832-1418
18West Ham UnitedWest Ham2046102238-1618
19Swansea CitySwansea2144131332-1916
20West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom202991427-1315
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Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City20191061124958
2Chelsea21143439142545
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd20134343162743
4Liverpool21118248242441
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs20114539201937
6Arsenal20114537251237
7Burnley219751817134
8Leicester CityLeicester217683132-127
9Everton217682532-727
10Watford2174103037-725
11Huddersfield TownHuddersfield216691832-1424
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton215791525-1022
13Bournemouth2155112032-1220
14Stoke CityStoke2155112346-2320
15Southampton204792030-1019
16Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2154121930-1119
17Crystal Palace2046101832-1418
18West Ham UnitedWest Ham2046102238-1618
19Swansea CitySwansea2144131332-1916
20West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom202991427-1315
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