When Manchester United and Leicester City met during the 1980s, one thing was invariably guaranteed - goals.

None of the 10 First Division encounters in that decade had less fewer two goals in them, while in total the net bulged on 29 different occasions.

It meant that when the two sides met at Filbert Street 31 years ago today, there was little surprise in the fact that the teams produced a five-goal contest that eventually went the way of Ron Atkinson's visitors.

Atkinson had spent £625,000 to sign Alan Brazil from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer, but the Scot had so far struggled to show the clinical form that seemed to have come so naturally to him while he was with his first club Ipswich Town.

However, he scored just his second league goal for United to break the deadlock against the Foxes in the 26th minute. Having beaten the offside trap, the centre-forward then fired a low shot beyond the reach of advancing Leicester goalkeeper Ian Andrews.

While that was to be Brazil's only meaningful contribution of the game, Leicester frontman Gary Lineker was just getting ready to have a big say on proceedings.

In the 36th minute he rose highest to meet Andy Feeley's cross from the right flank, only to see his downward header saved by United stopper Gary Bailey. However, the ball sprung up in the air and Ian Banks reacted quickest to nod in the rebound.

Parity remained until the hour mark when the away side went back in front with a not too dissimilar strike to their first of the afternoon. This time it was Mark Hughes that showed the Leicester defence a clean pair of heels before he drilled home.

Third-from-bottom Leicester rallied once again, though, and with six minutes remaining it seemed that they had snatched a share of the spoils thanks to Lineker, who volleyed into the bottom corner from six yards out.

Yet, in the final minute United inflicted an eighth defeat of the season on Gordon Milne's charges. Winger Gordon Strachan's cross caused mayhem in the Leicester box and after big appeals from the away team for handball, the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Strachan to smash his kick from 12 yards straight down the middle to seal all three points for United.

It was a result that lifted a triumphant United up to second in table and three points behind leaders Everton, while Leicester slumped to 21st position.

Leicester: Andrews; Ramsey, Hazell, O'Neill, Feeley; MacDonald (Smith), Banks, Wilson, Lynex; Lineker, Eastoe

Man United: Bailey; Gidman, Hogg, Garton, Albiston; Olsen (Whiteside), Moses, Robson, Strachan; Hughes, Brazil