Leicester City 4-2 Manchester United
Although it does rather take the gloss of a deserved and impressive victory for Leicester City, ultimately all the Premier League headlines will centre on Manchester United and the future of boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – and quite rightly.
For it is this SBOTOP reporter’s belief – and always has been since his appointment as interim manager in December 2018 – that the Norwegian should never have been appointed caretaker, let alone full-time, in the first place and is out of his depth.
This match in the East Midlands was yet further proof for me as he spent much of the afternoon looking incapable of steering his side to victory either tactically with leadership lacking both on and off the park.
While it was hard not to feel some sympathy for Solskjaer in his post-match interviews, it was also hard to ignore the fact we have been here before on a number of occasions and he seems unable to stop the drift or the same issues from reoccurring.
Hold those thoughts for a moment though.
We must also remember this defeat was actually the first time United have lost a league game away from home since January 2020.
That was an English league record 29-game unbeaten run away from home, overseen by Solskjaer who has taken United to third place and then second positions in his two full seasons at the club.
His record in that time is also very comparable to the man who has helped restore glory days to arch-rivals Liverpool in recent seasons, Jurgen Klopp.
Overall, then, Solskjaer has been doing something right and has restored harmony to a club which seemed lacing in the final days of Jose Mourinho.
The key point, though, is a telling one and that is Solskjaer appears to have taken the club as far as he can.
On an entertaining afternoon full of Premier League 2021 highlights – the start of a period which will show whether Solskjaer’s charges are genuine contenders or merely pretenders – it is hard to escape the feeling it’s the latter under his stewardship.
Highlights of the game
In 2021, the Foxes have already knocked United out of the FA Cup on their way to memorably winning the tournament, and also won at Old Trafford in the league – albeit against an understrength home team.
The corresponding fixture last season, meanwhile, produced an exciting contest as the spoils were shared in a Boxing Day thriller and the Premier League 2021 betting odds suggested this could be just as close again.
But there was no chance of that when the tactical battle was so easily lost by Solskjaer, who was ruthlessly exposed.
Even a brilliant goal from young Mason Greenwood and a late equaliser – which should have secured a point – from substitute Marcus Rashford (involved for the first time this season after recovering from shoulder surgery) could not hide the visitors’ woefulness.
Captain Harry Maguire returned ring-rusty from a calf problem and was to blame for Leicester’s equaliser, although the finish from Youri Tielemans was delicious.
The lack of coherence and organisation was also telling as substitute Patson Daka’s shot was saved by David de Gea – United’s best player – and Caglar Soyuncu rifled in the rebound to give the home side the lead.
Then, less than a minute after Rashford’s leveller, amateurish defending and concentration allowed Ayoze Pérez to tee up an unmarked Jamie Vardy for a venomous drive.
Daka’s tap-in in stoppage time merely confirmed the result.
Two wins in the past seven games in all competitions, both achieved with late goals (and in one case with an even later missed penalty by the opposition) after unconvincing displays, and the case for Solskjaer is clear.
Cast aside all the talk of romance amid a fans’ favourite, his time should be well and truly ticking.
For all his good traits, at English football’s biggest club, he simply cannot continue to survive on goodwill and fond memories.
Key statistics
Leicester have beaten Manchester United in three consecutive matches for the first time in 120 years.
United have scored in 25 successive league meetings against Leicester since a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford in January 1998.
Kelechi Iheanacho has been directly involved in 23 goals in his last 26 games for Leicester in all competitions, scoring 17 and making six assists.
United’s sole clean sheet in their past 19 matches in all competitions came in the league at Wolves in August.
What’s next?
This fixture marked the start of a busy week for both clubs.
Leicester now have a trip to Moscow to face Spartak in the Europa League on Wednesday (October 20) with a rather unusual kick-off time of 3.30pm.
Later that evening, Man Utd host Atalanta in the Champions League at Old Trafford.
Next weekend, the Foxes return to domestic action with a trip to newly promoted Brentford – the same afternoon as Utd face another big match at the Theatre of Dreams with the visit of arch-rivals Liverpool.
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