Manchester United 2 Leicester 0 – HIGHLIGHTS: Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini come off bench to fire Red Devils to victory
Supersubs strike late on for Jose Mourinho's Red Devils as his side make it three Premier league wins on the spin despite Romelu Lukaku missing a penalty
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MARCUS RASHFORD bounced off the bench to be the Manchester United hero as their 100 per cent winning start to the season kept going.
Rashford will have been disappointed to have been left out the starting line up as Anthony Martial was promoted.
His response was perfect as just three minutes after coming on for Juan Mata he met Herikh Mkhitaryan’s corner on the full for the 70th minute opener
It was another sub Marouane Fellaini who added the second in the 82nd minute as he deflected in Jessie Lingard’s goalbound shot.
It was instinctive reactions from Rashford for his goal as both Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba had stopped to head the ball but missed before the young attack stuck out a foot and sent the ball goalwards.
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel got a hand to it but the shot had so much power he could only palm it into the roof of the net.
Schemiechel was in despair as he had done so much to keep the visitors in the match not least when he saved Lukau’s 52nd minute penalty.
That was awarded when former United player Danny Simpson handled Martial’s cross.
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Lukaku side footed the spot kick to Schmeichel’s right but he had gone the right way and the ball was at the perfect height for him to save.
United had done everything they could to break the deadlock in the first half but Schemeichel and the Leicester defence stood firm.
The home side did have the ball in the back of the net on 18 minutes but Juan Mata was ruled offside when he followed up Romelu Lukaku’s parried shot.
It was a very tight decision but the assistant referee must have seen part of Mata’s body ahead of the last defender.
Paul Pogba was having efforts from all sorts of distances and angles.
When Martial crossed to the far post, Pogba slid in and sent an effort back across goal and just wide.
The Frenchman was coming forward from deep to receive cut backs at the top of the box before letting fly but his efforts were just off target.
Juan Mata also had an effort from an angle 20 yards out but his shot was brilliantly saved by Schmeichel.
But the Leicester goalkeeper’s brave resistance would finally be broken.
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When Martial crossed to the far post, Pogba slid in and sent an effort back across goal and just wide.
The Frenchman was coming forward from deep to receive cut backs at the top of the box before letting fly but his efforts were just off target.
Juan Mata also had an effort from an angle 20 yards out but his shot was brilliantly saved by Schmeichel.
But the Leicester goalkeeper’s brave resistance would finally be broken.
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FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS
- Jose Mourinho's side were backed by Olympic legend Usain Bolt this afternoon. The Jamaican was guest of honour at Old Trafford.
- Manchester United went into the clash full of confidence. They had only ever lost two of their 22 Premier League meetings with the Foxes prior to today.
- Just one of those has come at Old Trafford when the Leicester triumphed 1-0 in January 1998 at the Theatre of Dreams.
- Penalty saving is becoming something of a habit for Kasper Schmeichel. This was his third stop from the last five spot-kicks he has faced.
- And despite his dad Peter's long reign as goalkeeper for the Red Devils in the 1990s, Kasper has achieved something the Great Dane couldn't. Schmeichel senior had surprisingly never saved a penalty at Old Trafford.
- Rashford had been on the field for just two minutes when he broke the deadlock on 69 minutes
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan's fine form continued. His assist for Rashford equalled the Premier League record for most assists in his first three appearances in a season. He levelled Ruel Fox's record from the 1994/95 campaign.
- Rashford will take most of the plaudits but Marouane Fellaini is proving to be something of a game changer. Mourinho's men have netted seven times already this season after the Belgian's introduction from the bench.
SOCIAL SAYS
WHAT THEY SAID
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho told BT Sport: "I think we played very well. The result was open at 0-0. The blue wall was very well organised and I always give credit for that. They defended very well.
"After the goal I have to say we were very good. If i have to choose a word to describe my team, i would have to say "solid".
"The players are good and motivated. They are on the bench waiting for a chance."
Leicester manager Craig Shakespeare tells BT Sport: "I think we frustrated them for large parts of the game. When you come to Old Trafford in the form they are in, they will have big moments. We had our moments too but could not see the game through.
"Set pieces are our Achilles heel at the moment. We need to organsie and set better."
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
Manchester United: De Gea 7, Valencia 7, Bailly 7, Jones 7, Blind 7, Pogba 7, Matic 7, Mata 6 (Rashford 67, 7), Mkhitaryan 7 (Fellaini 74, 7), Martial 7 (Lingard 76, 6), Lukaku 7
Subs: Smalling, Romero, Herrera, Darmian
Leicester City: Schmeichel 8, Simpson 6, Morgan 7, Maguire 7, Fuchs 6, Mahrez 6, James 6, Ndidi 6, Albrighton 6, (Gray 60, 6), Okazaki 6 (King 60, 6), Vardy 6 (Slimani 76, 6)
Subs: Chilwell, Iheanacho, Hamer, Amartey
DREAM TEAM STAR MAN: Kasper Schmeichel
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