Match report: United 3 Leicester City 0

Manchester United emerged the victors with a convincing 3-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s final game as interim boss.

New permanent head coach Ruben Amorim will be in the dugout for our next game, away at Ipswich Town, meaning Ruud’s temporary stint in charge has been neatly bookended by two Foxes visits, and two wins, at Old Trafford.

The first, a confident 5-2 display in the Carabao Cup as Van Nistelrooy took the reins from Erik ten Hag, was followed up by this dominant three-goal display, leaving the interim boss undefeated during his time in charge.

Bruno Fernandes – awarded a commemorative shirt by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe before kick-off to celebrate his 250th appearance for the Reds – scored two in that game, and netted again in the first half, before an own goal and Alejandro Garnacho added to the tally later in the game.

FIRST HALF – UNITED IN CONTROL

Following an immaculately observed minute’s silence for Remembrance Sunday by both sets of fans, the Reds kicked off the action at the Theatre of Dreams in search of a final three points to round off Van Nistelrooy’s interim stint in style.

United were keen to establish themselves early in the game, made clear by Rasmus Hojlund in the first few seconds, when he charged Mads Hermansen down, forcing his fellow countryman into turning the ball over to Marcus Rashford.

Nothing came of that period of play, but it set the tone for a Reds side primarily in the driving seat for the opening of the game, making it difficult for the Foxes to progress out of their own half for any length of time.

That harrying pressure continued, this time with Amad hassling Victor Kristiansen as Leicester’s final line of defence, winning a throw-in and, with it, a chance for United to impose ourselves in the final third.

Amad’s work led to United’s first big opportunity in the game and our first goal. Fernandes exchanged a quick one-two with the Ivory Coast international — the return ball an effortlessly cool backheel — before our captain wrapped the ball perfectly around Hermansen’s reach from the edge of the box.

United capped a strong half with a second with just over five minutes left before the interval. Noussair Mazraoui picked up the ball on the left flank — having started on that side for this game — and whipped in ball to the centre of the six-yard box that the Foxes struggled to deal with.

Fernandes got a touch to it but the decisive flick was off Kristiansen’s thigh that diverted it on target, and hence meaning own goal by the defender. Of course, what mattered most was the Reds had a the ball in the back of the net for a second time.

Leicester had managed to muster up some gentle tests for Andre Onana throughout the first 45 minutes through Wilfred Ndidi and opposition captain Harry Winks, but, in truth, it never looked like being anything besides advantage to the Reds heading into the break. Indeed, Amad collected a Casemiro pass and brilliantly drove through the defence to force a save out of Kristiansen in stoppage time.

SECOND HALF – PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE

The Reds began the second period in a more reserved fashion compared to how we rapidly left the traps in the first, as to be expected with a solid lead worked up before the interval, but the hosts remained in control, if not always in possession, at the beginning of this half.

There was a moment of worry when Facundo Buonanotte caught the heel of compatriot Lisandro Martinez — a challenge the Leicester man was booked for, which also led to treatment on the pitch for the defender — not long after the latter had switched to left-back, but he jumped back to his feet to carry on not long after.

Martinez’s positional switch had been brought about by the introduction of Jonny Evans and Garnacho just before the hour mark, and the latter quickly got to work down the left side, utilising his pace in the 70th minute to spring a counter-attack, which looked to threaten but for the slippery surface toppling the winger at the vital moment in the opposition box.

There would be no such misstep just over 10 minutes later from the Argentina international, however, when he received the ball just outside the penalty area on the end of a driving midfield run from Fernandes. Garna got the ball out of his feet and curled it faultlessly into the top right corner, leaving a diving Hermansen hopeless.

In truth, aside from our no.17’s sweet strike, it had been a half lacking clear-cut chances for both teams, but the tempo suited a United side in consistent control of the visitors, calmly seeing out the victory in a professional manner. Amad had a late shot that cleared the bar but there was no further scoring.

Three goals, three points and a clean sheet at Old Trafford – Van Nistelrooy could scarely have hoped for a better note to sign off his short stint in charge, as he saluted the adoring Stretford End afterwards in a prolonged exit from the pitch.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Onana; Dalot (Evans 57), De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui; Casemiro (Eriksen 78), Ugarte; Amad, Fernandes (c), Rashford (Garnacho 57); Hojlund (Zirkzee 75).

Subs not used: Bayindir, Heaton, Lindelof, Mount, Antony.

Goals: Fernandes 17, Kristiansen 38 (og), Garnacho 82.

Leicester City: Hermansen; Justin (McAteer 83), Vestergaard, Faes, Kristiansen; Soumare, Ndidi (El Khannous 70), Winks (c); Buonanotte, Ayew (Edouard 88), Fatawu.

Subs not used: Ward, Coady, Okoli, Choudury, Mavididi, Skipp. 

Booked: Buonanotte.

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