London - Manchester United dismantled Premier League champions
Leicester in a ruthless 20-minute burst as Jose Mourinho's decision to drop
Wayne Rooney was rewarded with a 4-1 win at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Leicester imploded defensively as United racked up four
goals between the 22nd and 42nd minutes.
It was a stylish display from a United side who had entered
the game under pressure after losing their last two league games, against
Manchester City and Watford, with Chris Smalling opening the scoring after
replacing Rooney as captain.
Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba, with his first
United goal following his world $115 million arrival from Juventus, were also
on target after England captain Rooney was dropped to the substitutes' bench.
But it was a chastening afternoon for Leicester despite an
improved second-half display and a brilliant consolation goal from half-time
substitute Demarai Gray.
It was the second successive Premier League away game in
which Leicester had shipped four goals after doing so at Liverpool two weeks
ago.
Leicester held their own early on with Robert Huth lashing a
shot just over but it was United who edged in front in the 22nd minute after
some neat play wide on the left had forced a corner.
It was delivered by Daley Blind and Smalling escaped the
United defence to power home a header from six yards.
Rashford should have doubled United's lead moments later
when Leicester squandered possession and Zlatan Ibrahimovic galloped forwards
and squared for the teenager.
But Rashford's first touch was heavy and his shot flew over.
Ibrahimovic then went close to a goal after collecting a
fabulous pass by Pogba, but the Swede's effort on the turn just cleared the
bar.
Next it was Pogba's turn to let fly with an outrageous
effort from 30 yards that bent towards the top corner but was forced away by
Leicester goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler.
United finally added a second goal as they turned on the
style eight minutes before half-time.
Ander Herrera started the move with a fine ball to Mata
before a clever pass by Pogba and a fine flick by Jesse Lingard allowed Mata to
blast past Zieler.
And the third goal arrived just two minutes later as
Leicester handed a chance to Rashford which the youngster snapped up.
The visitors were caught napping as Blind took a quick
corner and Mata was free to square for an unmarked Rashford to finish from
close range.
It was 4-0 before half-time as another corner by Blind was
headed in by Pogba as he leapt above Christian Fuchs.
Leicester made a double change at half-time with key duo
Vardy and Riyad Mahrez withdrawn ahead of the Champions League meeting with FC
Porto on Tuesday.
And they almost had some joy when David De Gea dived at the
feet of Islam Slimani but gifted possession back to the visitors with a poor
throw.
Fuchs wasted the chance, however, with a poor cross.
And at the other end Mata tried to add his second goal with
a firm shot that Zieler parried well.
It was one of the half-time substitutes who salvaged a
modicum of respectability for Leicester with a goal of real quality on the
hour-mark.
Gray collected a crossfield pass from Daniel Amartey and cut
inside Lingard before lashing a brilliant shot past a helpless De Gea from 25
yards.
But United were soon back on the attack as Zieler made a
smart save from Ibrahimovic.
Two more Leicester substitutes combined for what should have
been a second goal but Andy King produced a tame shot from a Jeff Schlupp cross
and De Gea saved easily.
Gray then went within a whisker of replicating his stunning
goal with an almost identical effort which De Gea scrambled back to push over
the bar.