Old Trafford was filled with smiles as Manchester United completely dominated Leicester City, scoring four goals in the first half and adding one more in the second to secure a comprehensive 5-2 victory.
This resounding win propelled United into the semi-finals of the EFL Carabao Cup and marked a successful debut for interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Lineups
Manchester United: Goalkeeper: Altay Bayindir, Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Victor Lindelof, Sergio Reguilon, Midfielders: Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Forwards: Alejandro Garnacho, Joshua Zirkzee, Marcus Rashford.
Leicester City: Goalkeeper: Danny Ward, Defenders: James Justin, Conor Coady, Caleb Okoli, Luke Thomas, Midfielders: Oliver Skipp, Boubakary Soumare, Bobby De Cordova-Reid, Forwards: Jordan Ayew, Kasey McAteer, Bilal El Khannouss
How The Match Unfolded
Manchester United started the match with determination, with the defense and midfield stringing passes together in the opening 10 minutes. Leicester had the first chance of the game after Joshua Zirkzee was robbed of the ball in midfield, but Jordan Ayew’s shot was straight at Bayindir.
United soon took control of the game. A pass found Garnacho on his wing, who returned the pass to Fernandes. Fernandes left the pass, and it found Casemiro, who rocketed the ball into the roof of the net, giving United the lead.
The Red Devils added another goal a couple of minutes later. A fast throw and pass saw Dalot run with the ball down the right and the fullback zipping a cross to find Garnacho, who slammed it past Ward to make it 2-0.
Leicester responded with El-Khannouss’s shot, passing Bayindir and hitting the post twice before entering the net. United scored again, with Fernandes scoring a beautiful free kick and adding another before halftime. After horrible defending from Leicester following a corner, Casemiro put the ball into the net for the fourth.
Leicester found the net again with a poorly defended corner that allowed the ball to go to Conor Coady, who tucked it in, making the score 4-2.
United scored a fifth goal in the second half. A sloppy pass from Leicester’s defense gave Fernandes the ball, and the Portuguese midfielder rounded the keeper and passed it into the back of the net.
Post Match Analysis
This was interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game in charge, and he was pleased with the result as United qualified for the semi-final of the EFL Cup.
The team’s performance show their attacking strength and defensive solidity, with Fernandes and Casemiro both scoring braces and Garnacho adding another.
What’s Next
United will face Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend, while Leicester and Ipswich will battle for their points. United will also face Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals of the League Cup.
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