Leicester City 1 v 1 Manchester United
Report by Stuart Dawkins
Has there ever been a Leicester City game awaited with as much anticipation across the footballing world as this one? I really don’t think so. Top-of-the-league versus second; the memory of last season’s 5-3 bonanza; live TV cameras and, of course, Jamie Vardy.
I spent a while the day before reading, online, detailed articles previewing the match from newspapers spanning every continent. There were even ticket touts outside the match. Never mind Jamie Vardy having to ‘pinch himself’ recently; I think most City fans are doing the same.
Could any match actually live up to the level of expectation? Probably not, and today’s game was not a footballing classic, but as an event it was the hottest ticket in any town, anywhere.
The teams ran out to the spectacle of a V-themed TIFO. It is a credit to Vardy that, despite the ever-increasing levels of admiration and hype surrounding him, he really does just seem to get on with his job.
Ranieri swapped Okazaki in for Ulloa, presumably favouring the hassling first-line-of-defence role from the Japanese international over the Argentinian’s more direct centre forward style.
City started well. United looked slow by comparison to almost every Leicester player, and Mahrez – in particular – was fouled by players in red three times in the half, simply so he could not run past them. Only Young was booked for his challenge, but others could easily have had the same fate.
The City fans seemed, I thought, a little tense. Whether it was because their team were playing one of the so-called ‘big four’, or whether they were wanting Vardy to break the record was not clear, but despite City having much the better of the first 20 minutes, it was still all a little edgy.
United, during this period, were not terribly good. They mis-placed a number of passes, they looked concerned every time City broke with pace, and their main threat was Young down the left wing – who had a lot of the ball, but to very little effect.
Then in the 24th minute, it happened. United had a corner, City cleared it and Fuchs broke clear down the right wing (yes, you did read that correctly … Fuchs down the right wing). He ran with the ball for 50 yards before making the trade-mark Leicester pass: inside the full back for Vardy to pick up, advance and drill the ball inside the far post.
These are not easy goals to score, but Vardy does it with such regularity that it seems almost inevitable, even against a keeper as good as de Gea. The stadium went mad, of course. Leicester City players have achieved some great things over the years, but few – if any – will have had the media impact and world-wide recognition anything close to what Jamie Vardy has just achieved.
United looked stunned for most of the rest of the first half, whilst City looked quicker and more direct than ever. In the 31st minute, City played so many quick passes in a move on the left wing that I lost count; Mahrez played a one-two running into the box from a tight angle, and de Gea saved well to stop it being a second goal for the home team.
United had succeeded in winning a number of corners, despite offering very little other attacking threat in the first half. The clock ticked to 45 minutes exactly as Schweinsteiger headed in an equalizer from a right wing corner – scoring from two yards out in the centre of the goal, completely un-marked. This is an excellent Leicester City side, but they do still look far too vulnerable from corners. A score line of 1-1 at half time was a little harsh on Leicester.
City so nearly regained the lead a minute into the second half: Albrighton chipped a cross which would have found Vardy unmarked, had it not been a few inches too high. From then on, United began to look the more confident side. A couple of minutes later, a cross from a right wing free kick again found an unmarked United player in the box, but this time Schmeichel saved well.
On the hour, Ranieri replaced Okazaki with Ulloa. Okazaki had harried well in the first half, but had been far less effective in the second. Within minutes a Mahrez through ball and a neat turn by the Argentinian left Ulloa with only de Gea to beat from 12 yards, but the keeper saved well.
A few minutes later, Rooney was replaced by Depay, to jeering from the Leicester fans. I have seen Rooney be outstanding in the past, but today – other than fouling Mahrez and constantly complaining to the referee – I cannot remember him doing anything at all. The City fans’ chant of “you’re just a sh*t Jamie Vardy” was, if anything, flattering for Rooney on today’s performance. Whether the watching Roy Hodgson thought the same, I could not say …
Ranieri also replaced Albrighton, who had been industrious, with Schlupp.
The game became quite open, with both sides sensing that a win was possible. United played a lot better than they had in the first half, but City were – as ever – threatening on the break.
De Laet replaced Simpson with 10 minutes to play, as United’s possession began to suggest that they might sneak a winner, but it was not to be. Each side put long-range shots close in the final minutes; Vardy was released behind the defence in the 90th minute, but Smalling drove him wide well … and the final whistle blew with the score still level.
Did the match live up to the hype? No … what match could?
Are City a credible top four team? Maybe, maybe not … today certainly did not do the claim any harm. The back four, in particular, looked strong, and City’s pace will worry any opposition.
But, in the end, the most hyped City game of my lifetime was about one man – Jamie Vardy. And that man matched the anticipation and the expectation and did what he does: Jamie Vardy: currently he really does score when he wants … and long may it continue.
Leicester City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez, Kanté, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Schlupp, Okazaki, Vardy. Subs de Laet, King, Schlupp, Ulloa, Dyer, Schwarzer, Inler
Manchester United: de Gea, McNair, Smalling, Blind, Darmian, Carrick, Schweinsteiger, Young, Mata, Martial, Rooney . Subs Depay, Romero, Fellaini, Schneiderlin, Rashford, Borthwick-Jackson, Pereira
Attendance: 32, 115
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation