An hour into their match against Manchester United, and Leicester City were 3-1 down, spellbound by the amazing attacking play of Ángel di María and Radamel Falcao. But by full time, the Foxes were celebrating perhaps their most impressive win in Premier League history, hitting their guests for four goals in the final half hour and coming away with an incredible 5-3 victory.
3 things we learned from Manchester United’s amazing collapse against Leicester City
Manchester United have no midfield, Leonardo Ulloa is for real and Wayne Rooney needs to go away as quickly as humanly possible, but won’t. Oh, and the Foxes won 5-3 after being 3-1 down in the second half.
To say the start was frenetic is to stretch understatement to new and untenable heights. While Leciester were marginally the brighter sides in the opening stages, they simply cannot boast the sort of attacking talent that United posses, and a di María through ball to Robin van Persie, well saved by Kasper Schmeichel, marked the start of a five-minute bombardment that gave the visitors a 2-0 lead.
Falcao has been brought in to score goals, but his first contribution to his new side was in fact an assist. The Colombian demolished the unfortunate Ritchie de Laet on the Leicester right, scampered forward, and lofted a cross for van Persie to chase. His header cannoned off Liam Moore, leaving Schmeichel helpless as it crept just inside the post. Di María followed up that slightly messy strike with a chip of the most exquisite beauty, running onto a Rooney pass and lifting a shot -- while on the run, no less -- over two defenders and the goalkeeper from 16 yards.
The Foxes were down, but they certainly weren’t out. No sooner had United stopped celebrating their second than they found their lead halved. Jamie Vardy hared after a ball down the right, somehow managing to keep the ball in play and lifting a perfect ball to Leonardo Ulloa to power past David de Gea.
After Ulloa’s goal, the chances dried up, which allowed the hosts get to halftime only 2-1 down. But United very nearly grabbed another just after halftime, with Falcao rocketing in a shot that beat Schmeichel before rattling back off the crossbar. And as the visitors piled on the pressure, Leciester cracked again, their defence crumbling before Ander Herrera turned in di María’s shot with a clever flick just before the hour mark.
Yet the Foxes refused to go away. The impressive Vardy got away with a foul on Rafael in winning the ball just outside the United box, and the hotheaded right back responded by retaliating -- after Vardy was already in the penalty area. Mark Clattenburg immediately pointed to the spot, and David Nugent stepped up and blasted in to make it 3-2. And barely 100 seconds later, Leicester were back on level terms, with Esteban Cambiasso stepping up an sliding a loose ball past the sprawling de Gea.
There was still room for a twist or two in the tale, but now the momentum was entirely in Leicester’s favour and there was only ever going to be one winner. Juan Mata, thrown on by Louis van Gaal in a desperate attempt to find a fourth goal, lost possession in midfield, and the ball was quickly threaded through to Vardy, who capped off an impressive showing by beating de Gea at his near post to give the hosts their first lead of the match.
Insult was added to injury eight minutes from time when Vardy burst through once again only to be scythed down by Tyler Blackett, winning his second penalty on the night and seeing the young defender sent for an early bath. Ulloa was on hand to convert, notching his second of the game and consigning United to another embarrassing defeat.
Leicester City (4-5-1): Kasper Schmeichel; Paul Konchesky, Liam Moore, Wes Morgan, Ritchie de Laet; Jamie Vardy (Jeff Schlup 84’), Dean Hammond, Esteban Cambiasso (Andy King 71’), Danny Drinkwater, David Nugent; Leonardo Ulloa.
Goals: Ulloa 17’ 83’ (p), Nugent 62’ (p), Cambiasso 64’, Vardy 79’.
Manchester United (4-4-2 diamond): David de Gea; Marcos Rojo, Tyler Blackett, Jonny Evans (Chris Smalling 30’), Rafael; Daley Blind, Ángel di María (Juan Mata 76’), Ander Herrera, Wayne Rooney; Radamel Falcao (Adnan Januzaj 72’), Robin van Persie.
Goals: van Persie 13’, di María 16’, Herrera 57’.
3 Things
- Manchester United remain far too open. Twice, United were pegged back from two-goal leads, the second fatally. Although they’re now blessed with an astonishing array of attacking talent -- Radamel Falcao and Ángel di María are impressive by anyone’s standards, let alone a club that was subjected to David Moyes for most of a season -- they simply don’t have the inclination or personnel to defend leads. Dutch utlityman Daley Blind remains their most defensively-inclined midfielder, but although he’s composed and clever in possession he’s never shown the sort of physicality required of the position against Premier League-calibre teams, and with minimal support his job is essentially impossible regardless. It’s difficult to see how United will remain balanced at all this season. More likely, they’ll try the Liverpool route of attempting to win by absurd scorelines every time.At least that will be fun, right?Leonardo Ulloa is a terror. Goals against Arsenal, Everton and now a brace against Manchester United? Leicester have been by far the most impressive of any of the newly-promoted trio, and the Argentina striker is a major reason why. Barring ridiculously powerful headers, it’s not that clear what he’s actually good at, which must make him even scarier to deal with because it means that defenders don’t really have a clear plan on how to nullify him. He simply pops up in dangerous positions and forces the ball home.After five goals in five matches, Ulloa might already have justified the £8 million transfer fee that brought him to the King Power Stadium this summer. And if he keeps this up, the Foxes aren’t even going to have to worry about relegation.Wayne Rooney still can’t cut it. Yes, he got an assist for Ángel di María’s goal, but the pass was nowhere near as impressive as the finish, and that was one of the few things he did right all game. His attacking play was stodgy, and although he was moderately enthusiastic in defence he seems to have taken a shine to making mistakes and then yelling at his teammates. Rooney’s far from the biggest problem Louis van Gaal has -- the midfield and defence badly need help -- but he’s likely to be the most permanent. He’s Manchester United’s captain, on insane wages and England’s talisman, all of which make him undroppable. On his contributions alone, however, he wouldn’t get near this starting lineup. That he didn’t sent off in the final stages after losing his head might actually be a negative for his team.
See More:
