Leicester vs Manchester United match report: Jamie Vardy breaks Premier League record but Foxes are held to draw

Leicester City 1 Manchester United 1

(Getty Images)

So Jamie Vardy takes his place alongside death and taxes as one of life’s certainties. The goal that it seemed the whole of the Premier League wished for duly arrived midway through the first half, with Vardy scoring for the 11th successive match, to ease Ruud van Nistlerooy out of the English football annals.

Van Nistelrooy, fine chap that he is, responded via Twitter offering his congratulations. Richly deserved the Dutchman said. And it was, but on this occasion it did not bring the real bounty his team were seeking.

United hit back with Bastian Schweinsteiger’s first goal for the club and in the second half dominated in the now familiar manner, painting the pitch red everywhere but the opposition box.

The main drama was the withdrawal of Wayne Rooney with 20 minutes remaining, not enough time on this occasion to determine whether his potential absence after a plodding spell is a benefit or not.

With neither team able to establish hegemony, the night rightly belonged to the season’s romantic lead.

Goal! Who else? In his first real opening with 24 minutes on the clock, Vardy ran on to a Christian Fuchs pass, took a touch and made history. Suitably enthused Vardy ran straight to the United fans and screamed “All effing mine.” We can forgive him the expletive. It was the kind of incisive break that was once the hallmark of the visitors. United had fashioned a couple of sightings at goal but without isolating the last defender or exposing the keeper to danger at speed.

It would take a set-piece to get them back in the game on the stroke of half-time. Schweinsteiger looked like he meant it with a powerful header from a Daley Blind corner.


 Jamie Vardy fires home his record-breaking goal
 (2015 Getty Images)

Leicester’s elevation is the story of this erratic season. A team assembled at low cost has ambushed the division. Like thieves they stole out of the night in rapier bursts while no-one was looking. Fourteen years have passed since Leicester were last involved in a top of the table clash in the Premier League. United were the opponents that day and won 3-0, going on to win the championship. Leicester began the slow descent into mediocrity. Not this time.

Vardy is the most talked about player in England. The Leicester players have been bombarded with media requests as if it were FA Cup final week. This is the kind of territory United occupy every day. Coping is second nature. The magic carpet ride Leicester are riding is asking them to perform under the same kind of febrile scrutiny.

There were certainly few nerves in a frantic opening that saw Leicester at full throttle. Ashley Young was booked for a cynical foul on Riyad Mahrez and Blind deserved to be for a body check on the same player.

Vardy was perpetual motion and a beast in the tackle, almost halving Matteo Darmian near the corner flag with a challenge stamped made in Fleetwood. David De Gea saved brilliantly from Shinji Okazaki to prevent deeper embarrassment for United with half an hour gone.

The 5-3 reverse a year ago at this ground remains an unresolved trauma for United. Four goals in 20 minutes after taking a 3-1 lead set Louis Van Gaal on the defensive path from which he has yet to emerge. Still there is always Anthony Martial.


 Bastian Schweinsteiger celebrates his equaliser
 (PA Wire)

One captivating run along the Leicester deadball line caused a degree of panic, a second resulted in the corner that gave United parity at the break. Schweinsteiger almost made it two via the same route immediately after the restart, Kasper Schmeichel doing brilliantly to block another clap of thunder off the German’s blond kopf.

It was the prelude to a sustained spell of what approximated to cohesive pressure from United. Leicester retreated into a compact defensive shape. Claudio Ranieri appeared in the technical area to spread some avuncular calm.

With an hour gone Ranieri withdrew Okazaki for Leo Ulloa, perhaps hoping to rekindle the spirit of last year when the Argentine was in the vanguard of the 5-3 assault. It almost worked. The impressive Mahrez set him free only for the boot of De Gea to resolve the one on one in United’s favour.

Van Gaal responded with the introduction of Memphis Depay for the labouring Rooney. Rooney took a knock in the opening minutes of the second half. At least that is the kind interpretation of his removal.

Leicester City: (4-4-2) Schmeichel; Simpson (De Laet, 80), Morgan, Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez, Kanté, Drinkwater, Albrighton (Schlupp, 70); Okazaki (Ulloa, 60), Vardy.

Manchester United (3-4-1-2) De Gea; Blind, Smalling, McNair; Young, Schweinsteiger, Carrick, Darmian; Mata; Martial, Rooney (Depay, 68).

Referee: Craig Pawson

Man of the match: Vardy (Leicester)

Match rating: 7/10