Leicester City host Manchester United today at the King Power Stadium in an FA Cup Quarter Final. Both sides have done very well in the league but will want to push on in the FA Cup especially as it looks like winning the league is more and more difficult.
Leicester City dominated against Sheffield United in their most recent game coming away with a 5-0 win. To get to the quarter finals though they have beaten Stoke City (4-0), Brentford (3-1) and Brighton (1-0). They have never won the FA Cup and haven’t been to a semi final in this competition for almost 40 years so will want to put an end to that here.
Manchester United last game resulted in a 1-0 win away to AC Milan and in their last league game they came away with a 1-0 win against West Ham. To get to this stage Manchester United have beaten Watford (1-0), Liverpool (3-2) and West Ham (1-0). They have won 12 FA Cups and they could go on to make it 13 with a win here today.
This is bound to be an exciting game with these two on good form and looking to join Southampton, Manchester City and Chelsea in the semi final draw.
Starting Lineups
Before the game begins once again the players take the knee.
Kick Off!
Manchester United start the game very well. Quick passing and movement. Definetly what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will want to see from his side who do well whenever they start on top.
4″ Surprisingly despite the early Manchester United good play Leicester create the first chance of the game. Kelechi Iheanacho just offside but a good chance.
Iheanacho scored a hattrick in his last game and will look to continue his hot form. Can he get a goal in this evenings game?
5″ Youri Tielemans faces a crunching tackle from Anthony Martial here. The tackle looked very dangerous from Martial but seems like the correct decision from today’s referee – Andre Marriner.
Both sides testing each other in the opening 10 minutes. Not a whole lot of chances created but the two teams certainly look up for it here. I can see plenty of goals in this one.
13″ First chance for Manchester United comes from the first corner of the game. Alex Telles whips the ball in and Harry Maguire is on the end of it. Fairly simple catch for Kasper Schmeichel in goal.
17″ Fred gave the ball away for Manchester United which was very poor. The ball ended up on the right hand side with Jamie Vardy who rushed his shot. A good test for Dean Henderson in goal but untroubling.
19″ Leicester seem as though they are winning the ball back very quickly and breaking with pace. Vardy through again with options but his shot blocked by Maguire. The foxes threatening.
21″ Paul Pogba is by no means happy. He faced a few challenges and lost his boot in the process. Has a word with the referee as he thinks he should have got a freekick. Leicester broke out and win a corner which comes to nothing.
25″ GOAL! Leicester City 1 – 0 Manchester United – Kelechi Iheanacho
A few mistakes from Fred already today and this time it costs Manchester United. They try playing it from the back and Fred looks to give the ball back to Henderson. A terrible pass snatched by Iheanacho who goes round the keeper and puts it in the net easily.
One of the most inform players in the Premier League at the moment Iheanacho and he gets himself a fairly easy goal in the FA Cup.
Embed from Getty Images28″ Manchester United need a goal here and they test Schmeichel. The cross seemed like it was going nowhere but a good stop in case someone arrived towards the back. The resulting corner ends with a poor Maguire header.
30″ The first yellow card of the game goes to Maguire against his former club. Iheanacho looked in again and Maguire takes him out on the edge of the area. Definite yellow card.
At this point in the game it seems very even. The possession stats at 50/50 so far. This game could go either way so Leicester will look to hold on to their lead if not increasing. Manchester United on the other hand need a goal.
35″ Manchester United keep giving the ball away at the moment which I’m sure will frustrate Solskjaer on the touchline. They really need to improve especially since in the majority of cases Leicester break from it.
37″ Maguire with another foul here so will need to be careful and try and calm his team down. Can’t face losing their captain to a red card.
38″ GOAL! Leicester City 1 -1 Manchester United – Mason Greenwood
A beautiful goal from Manchester United here. Paul Pogba plays it in to Donny Van De Beek who dummies the ball beautifully. Mason Greenwood scores and they are back in the game.
Greenwood gets his first goal since his goal in the fourth round against Liverpool.
Embed from Getty Images41″ United coming forward a bit more now and doing well. A chance from Pogba scuffed and easily gathered by Schmeichel. They need to improve on the first half showing so far.
44″ Ayoze Perez with a very good chance to increase Leicester’s lead. Lovely bit of footwork to get round Nemanja Matic but his shot just drags wide. Unlucky for Perez and United may have got away with one there.
Half Time! Leicester City 1 – 1 Manchester United
Both teams creating chances in this first half and both coming into half time with a goal each. A mistake from Fred set up Iheanacho to score fairly easily. Greenwood equalised a bit later on after a nicely worked move from the away side.
Leicester have looked very bright so far in the half. Their press on Manchester United has been unbelievable and it has worked with them winning the ball fairly quickly after losing it. They have created chances as well just disappointing they couldn’t keep the lead.
They will look to improve on this by getting back in front. Brendan Rodgers’ only frustration will probably be the fact that they aren’t in front any more. Get a goal and they may be looking comfortable.
Manchester United have given the ball away a lot in this first half and it has cost them. Despite starting off well they dropped off slightly to the frustration of the Manchester United bench I’m sure.
Going into the second half they need to try and keep the ball more and not fall under the pressure that Leicester will surely keep up. Do that and they may be able to create the chance to get the lead.
During half time the draw was taken for the next round. Here are the results of that:
Leicester City/Manchester United v Southampton
Chelsea v Manchester City
Second Half Kicks off!
52″ GOAL! Leicester City 2 – 1 Manchester United – Youri Tielemans
Tielemans with the goal and it is a wonderful goal. Lovely link up with Wilfred Ndidi and Tielemans smashes it into the back of the net. Seems way too easy with nobody looking to go to the ball for Manchester United. They are ahead again.
Embed from Getty Images57″ Manchester United have had a sudden improvement now that they are behind. Creating chances with Greenwood making a good run. His shot blocked. This before Telles tried his luck from distance and it goes just wide.
58″ What a chance. Ndidi wins the ball and finds Vardy who slips past Maguire like it was nothing. In on goal and he puts it wide. Manchester United very lucky to have no conceded there.
62″ Manchester United are all over the place right now and it has almost cost them again. Perez with the shot that goes over the bar but they are really taking advantage of the poor defending.
63″ Martial seemed to dive there and wins a freekick but the freekick comes to nothing again. Just in time to make four changes.
Four substitutions for Manchester United. Luke Shaw, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes and Edison Cavani all coming on for Alex Telles, Nemanja Matic, Donny Van De Beek and Paul Pogba.
67″ Manchester United already looking more dangerous. Coming up the field and testing the Leicester defence. Hopefully for Manchester United’s sake they can make an impact by scoring soon.
69″ Marc Albrighton gets a yellow card for kicking the ball away. Possibly a way of wasting a bit of time with Manchester United putting on more pressure.
72″ McTominay sees yellow now after appearing to push Perez. Probably a soft yellow card but the referee shows him the yellow card.
73″ Substitution for Leicester City – Dennis Praet coming on for Ayoze Perez
75″ Johnny Evans the next player to see yellow. Catches Bruno Fernandes as he slips. Probably annoying to have seen yellow for it.
77″ Fred once again giving the ball away. He has been poor here today for Manchester United. They seemed to be away 4v3 but couldn’t make the most of it. Poor piece of play.
78″ GOAL! Leicester City 3 – 1 Manchester United – Kelechi Iheanacho
That should be it for Leicester and they are surely through to the Semi Finals of the FA Cup. A freekick comes in and finds Iheanacho on his own at the back post for a fairly easy header.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt seems as though Leicester will now go through and face Southampton at Wembley. That unless Manchester United can perform a terrific turnaround.
83″ Substitution for Leicester City – Jamie Vardy goes off and Hamza Choudhary comes on to replace him.
84″ Substitution for Manchester United – Fred comes off for Amad.
88″ Manchester United win a freekick and what a strike from Bruno Fernandes. Forces a great save out of Schmeichel who hasn’t had to do much at all today.
The first half is coming to a close and Leicester are one step closer to their place at Wembley. They will face Southampton in the next round to get to the final.
90+1″ Amad whips in a good cross and Martial got his head on it. Going wide but Schmeichel once again with a good save. If it went in it would probably have been too little too late though. This game is over.
Leicester just playing the ball around now. They know it’s over and Leicester judging off this performance they have deserved it entirely.
Embed from Getty ImagesFull Time – Leicester City 3 – 1 Manchester United
Brendan Rodgers wins a place at Wembley in his 100th game in charge. Iheanacho scored fairly early on in the first half but his goal was cancelled out by Greenwood. Despite this, Leicester were much too strong for United and Tielemans and a second from Iheanacho sends them through.
Leicester City dominated the game really and were by far the better side. Plenty of chances created and closed down Manchester United very well. United just could not get out and credit to Leicester for such a great performance across the board.
Manchester United will be very disappointed. A poor performance where they seemed as though they couldn’t do anything on the ball and really they got what they deserved in this one. United frustrated more so in the fact that they were expected to win a trophy this season and that is now another one that they can’t win. Off it today.
So Leicester City make it through to the semi finals as they look to win their first ever FA Cup. They will face Southampton in the next round.
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