Leicester City booked their spot in the FA Cup semi-finals with a much-deserved 3-1 win over Manchester United in Sunday’s clash at the King Power Stadium.
Two sharp goals from Kelechi Iheanacho and one from Youri Tielemans were sufficient to give the Foxes just a second triumph over the Red Devils in 26 gatherings altogether taken.
Manchester United Initially leveled in the initial half through Mason Greenwood before Tielemans’ wonder goal, looked well shy of their best for a very remarkable challenge for which they rolled out five improvements from their Europa League win in Milan three days earlier.
Iheanacho headed in a third a short ways from time to verify triumph as United lost an away match in the domestic competition interestingly since January 19 a year ago. Fred had twice lost belongings in United’s half before his appalling backpass to goalkeeper Dean Henderson’s leading to Iheanacho scoring a simple tap in.
In spite of their progressions from the side that won in Milan, United played like a group battling with exhaustion in the principal half, as Leicester squeezed them into blunders without figuring out how to exploit. It was in this manner something unexpected when the guests leveled seven minutes before the break. Pogba’s low cross from the left was dummied brilliantly by Donny van de Beek, allowing Greenwood to crush home his first goal in quite a while.
Leicester recovered their lead in brief style in the subsequent half, however, Tielemans scoring through a fine shot past the span of Henderson in the wake of floating effectively away from Nemanja Matic and Fred.
Jamie Vardy ought to have made it 3-1, skipping past Harry Maguire just to drag a shot wide of the left-hand post with just Henderson to be beaten, provoking Solskjaer to roll out four improvements to revive United’s presentation. It was one of those substitutes, Scott McTominay, who surrendered a modest free-kick close to the crate and afterward permitted Iheanacho to float behind him to score the final goal through a Marcus Albrighton’s cross.
What’s the significance here? Leicester will certainly aim for the finals
Leicester were drawn against Southampton in the semi-finals during the half-season of this game, maintaining a strategic distance from Manchester City and Chelsea, and this exhibition will give them genuine certainty of going right to the last.
Our #FACup campaign comes to an end.
🔴 #MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) March 21, 2021
Manchester United are left to lament another prize cruising them by, Solskjaer’s progressions to the line-up and an overall absence of exactness in their play finishing their 14-game unbeaten run. The Europa League currently addresses their most obvious opportunity with regards to winning the first trophy under Solskjaer, having drawn Granada in the last eight of the tournament.
Iheanacho ablaze:
As a previous Manchester City player, Iheanacho will have made the most of his part in unloading United out of the opposition.
His two goals covered a heavenly presentation which means he has now had an immediate hand in 15 goals in his 15 beginnings taking all things together this season, eight of which have come in his latest four appearances.
Fred’s shambolic performance:
Fred was one of those to play the full match in Milan and he was intellectually and genuinely off the speed against a dedicated Leicester.
Having passed to Iheanacho for the opener, he neglected to draw near enough to stop Tielemans scoring as the Foxes directed the midfield fight. He was not fluent enough to stabilize the midfield and this led to United being too exposed in the center of the park.
Manager’s words after the match
Solksjaer said: “We didn’t have the spark tonight but it’s understandable. This team has been fantastic in the last three or four months. We played every three days and been on a great run. It just caught up with us, all the games and travels. Thursday night in Milan was a big night and took a lot of out of us physically. We didn’t have the extra zip, authority, and confidence today.”
What’s next?
Manchester United come back to footballing ways at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on April 4. A day sooner, Leicester have Premier League pioneers Manchester City to play with.