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Premier League
Nov 28, 2015 at 5.30pm UK
 
MU

1-1

Vardy (24')
FT(HT: 1-1)

Match Analysis: Leicester City 1-1 Manchester United

:Headline: Match Analysis: Leicester City 1-1 Manchester United: ID:259769: from db_amp
Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the 1-1 draw between Leicester City and Manchester United, a match that saw Jamie Vardy make Premier League history.

Jamie Vardy scored in a record-breaking 11th consecutive Premier League game this afternoon as Leicester City shared a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at the King Power Stadium.

The England international etched his name into the history books after 24 minutes when he swept Christian Fuchs's pass beyond David de Gea and into the bottom corner.

It would not be enough to claim all three points for his side, though, as Bastian Schweinsteiger levelled things up in first-half stoppage time with his first goal for the club.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at whether the spoils deserved to be shared in the top-of-the-table clash.

Match statistics

LEICESTER
Shots: 7
On target: 3
Possession: 31%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 5

MAN UTD
Shots: 10
On target: 2
Possession: 69%
Corners: 8
Fouls: 7

Was the result fair?

Yes. You could have written a script for the way this match panned out, with Leicester and Manchester United both playing to form, and of course Vardy getting on the scoresheet. As has been the case in the vast majority of their games this season, United dominated possession for long spells but struggled to make the most of their time on the ball. In contrast, Leicester looked to be a lot more ruthless when they got the ball, immediately breaking with pace.

The big question before this match was which would prevail out of the contrasting styles that these two sides have showcased so far this season. In the end, they simply cancelled each other out. United may have enjoyed more than twice as much possession as Leicester, but the Foxes created just as many chances as the visitors. Indeed, United's best chances came from set pieces, with the hosts unable to cope with corners especially.

The goal just before half time was important for United, not only because it ultimately earned them a point but also because it took a bit of the sting out of the raucous home crowd. Vardy's historic goal only served to crank the noise levels up even further, and it was the home side who looked like the best bet as the first half wore on. The same cannot be said of the second half, although United also struggled to create clear chances in that period so a point apiece is the fairest outcome.

Leicester's performance

It is a mark of how far Leicester have come that they might be a touch disappointed at only coming away from this match with a point. Having been knocked off top spot by Manchester City before this game got underway, the Foxes knew that only a win would have been good enough to ensure that they would still be top of the pile at the start of the December. They looked capable of getting all three points at various stages in the match, but ultimately they can't have many complaints at sharing the spoils.

It was the Leicester we have seen all season once again today, full of energy and very tough to stop on the break. They were more than happy to let United knock the ball about for long spells in midfield, knowing that they had the pace to really trouble the visitors when they won it back. They did carry a lingering threat on the counter throughout the 90 minutes, but when it comes to clear chances created they can only really point to a handful.

Defensively they coped pretty well from open play, but it was the set pieces that caused them the most problems. Chris Smalling and Wayne Rooney were both allowed free headers in the box from corners before Schweinsteiger got the equaliser, and that was Leicester's undoing today. Even so, Claudio Ranieri will not be downbeat about the performance today. There were plenty of positives to take, including, of course, Vardy's record-breaking strike which came at the end of a vintage Leicester break, and they are still very well placed after more than a third of the season.

Man Utd's performance

While it is a sign of how far Leicester have come to be disappointed with a point, it may also be a sign of the times for United to be content with a draw from this match. There have been plenty of questions surrounding their performances this season, and even the buccaneering nature of Leicester couldn't entice them out of their bland style today. Granted, this was not quite as uninspiring or unadventurous as the goalless draw with PSV Eindhoven in midweek, but it still wasn't great.

The stats tell much of the story for United: 69% possession yet just two shots on target shows exactly what their problem has been for the majority of the season. They are more than capable of keeping the ball, but even with the likes of Schweinsteiger, Juan Mata, Rooney and Anthony Martial, they lack both a cutting edge and a spark of creativity. Their first real chance from open play this afternoon did not arrive until the 84th minute, which simply isn't good enough against a side who have the worst defensive record outside the bottom six.

By and large, they were forced to rely on corners and free kicks for their chances today, although even then they were wasteful. Defensively they coped well considering how difficult Leicester can be when they have the wind in their sails, with Smalling in particular impressing, but fans are desperate to see some excitement from the team and once again they didn't exactly grab their imagination today. A draw away to a side who started the day as league leaders is not a bad result, but there is still some way to go for United.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Riyad Mahrez: There were a few candidates for this award today, including Smalling and Vardy, but it was Mahrez who was the architect of almost everything good that Leicester did. His touch was sublime throughout and he always carried a threat when on the ball - so much so that United had to commit a number of fouls just to stop him in his tracks.

Biggest gaffe

Shinji Okazaki's marking on Schweinsteiger can perhaps be called into question, but Ashley Young gets this one today for his role in the Vardy goal. Young had a couple of tugs at Vardy off the ball when Leicester were breaking before eventually giving up entirely and letting him latch on to the pass and fire home.

Referee performance

This was about as straightforward as they come for Craig Pawson. The referee produced his solitary yellow card after just 14 minutes and, while he could have perhaps brought it out on two more occasions for cynical fouls on Mahrez, the rest of the game was a bit of a breeze.

What next?

Leicester: Next up for Leicester is a trip to South Wales to take on Swansea City a week from today.

Man Utd: United, meanwhile, host West Ham United at Old Trafford next Saturday.

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