Man Utd 3-0 Leicester: Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho score as Red Devils win

Man Utd 3-0 Leicester: Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho score as Red Devils win
_128679600_rashford-main.jpgMarcus Rashford has scored 24 goals for Manchester United so far this season - his most prolific for the club

Marcus Rashford scored twice to continue his hot streak and help Manchester United overcome Leicester in the Premier League.

Rashford is in the form of his career and is leading United's resurgence, taking his tally to 24 for the season with goals in each half at Old Trafford.

Both efforts were clinical finishes, latching on to passes from Bruno Fernandes and Fred before bearing down on goal and coolly slotting past Danny Ward.

Substitute Jadon Sancho finished off a fine team move to seal all three points for Erik ten Hag's side, but it could have been a very different story.

Leicester created the better chances when it was goalless and their failure to find a way past David de Gea proved extremely costly.

The Spaniard made a stunning reflex save to deny Harvey Barnes from close range and kept out Kelechi Iheanacho's diving header with another superb stop.

Defeat ended Leicester's three-game unbeaten run and an inconsistent season sees them remain in 14th place in the table.

Red-hot Rashford leads United's charge

Manchester United face the most important week of Ten Hag's short tenure, coming up against Barcelona in their Europa League play-off second leg on Thursday, followed by a trip to Wembley where they face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.

They go into those two huge games bang in form, losing just three of their 22 league games, and ruthless finishing ended Leicester's challenge on this occasion.

Leading the charge is England international Rashford, who has now secured his most prolific campaign for United with three months still to play.

The 25-year-old took his tally to 17 goals in 18 games since the end of the World Cup, the most by a player in Europe's top five leagues.

His goals had the hallmarks of a player full of confidence, stroking into the net when through on goal and he could have had a hat-trick when beating two defenders but drilled his shot straight at Ward.

Diogo Dalot missed a glaring chance from six yards out, miscuing the excellent Bruno Fernandes' cross, while Lisandro Martinez headed against the crossbar in a second half that was bossed by the home side.

United's aim at the start of the campaign would have been a return to the Champions League and they are well on their way to achieving that, lying third in the table and 10 points clear of Tottenham in fifth.

Looking above them, is a title charge out of the question? United are five points adrift of leaders Arsenal, though the Gunners have played a game fewer.

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Leicester City

Squad number1Player nameWard

Squad number27Player nameCastagne

Squad number15Player nameSouttar

Squad number3Player nameFaes

Squad number16Player nameKristiansen

Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall

Squad number24Player nameMendy

Squad number37Player nameTetê

Squad number10Player nameMaddison

Squad number7Player nameBarnes

Squad number14Player nameIheanacho

Squad number8Player nameTielemans

Squad number9Player nameVardy

Squad number26Player namePraet

Squad number42Player nameSoumaré

Line-ups

Man Utd

Formation 4-2-3-1

1de Gea

20Dalot2Lindelöf6Li Martínez23Shaw

15Sabitzer17Fred

8Bruno Fernandes27Weghorst49Garnacho

10Rashford

1de Gea20Dalot2Lindelöf6Li Martínez23ShawSubstituted forWan-Bissakaat 69'minutes15SabitzerSubstituted forMainooat 80'minutes17FredSubstituted forMcTominayat 59'minutes8Bruno Fernandes27Weghorst49GarnachoSubstituted forSanchoat 45'minutes10RashfordSubstituted forElangaat 69'minutes

Substitutes

12Malacia19Varane22Heaton25Sancho28Pellistri29Wan-Bissaka36Elanga39McTominay73Mainoo

Leicester

Formation 4-2-3-1

1Ward

27Castagne15Souttar3Faes16Kristiansen

22Dewsbury-Hall24Mendy

37Tetê10Maddison7Barnes

14Iheanacho

1Ward27Castagne15Souttar3FaesBooked at 45mins16Kristiansen22Dewsbury-HallSubstituted forTielemansat 59'minutes24MendyBooked at 48minsSubstituted forSoumaréat 59'minutes37TetêSubstituted forPraetat 75'minutes10Maddison7Barnes14IheanachoSubstituted forVardyat 75'minutes

Substitutes

8Tielemans9Vardy18Amartey20Daka21Ricardo Pereira25Ndidi26Praet31Iversen42SoumaréReferee:Stuart AttwellAttendance:73,578

Live Text

Match ends, Manchester United 3, Leicester City 0.

Second Half ends, Manchester United 3, Leicester City 0.

Attempt missed. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.

Foul by Scott McTominay (Manchester United).

James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt saved. James Maddison (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Lisandro Martínez.

Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Attempt saved. Anthony Elanga (Manchester United) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lisandro Martínez.

Attempt blocked. Wout Weghorst (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bruno Fernandes with a cross.

Attempt saved. Wout Weghorst (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jadon Sancho.

Attempt blocked. Harvey Barnes (Leicester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Diogo Dalot.

Attempt blocked. Dennis Praet (Leicester City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Harvey Barnes.

Attempt blocked. James Maddison (Leicester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Jamie Vardy.

Substitution, Manchester United. Kobbie Mainoo replaces Marcel Sabitzer.

Foul by Anthony Elanga (Manchester United).

Timothy Castagne (Leicester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Victor Lindelöf (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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