Maguire puts another nail in title coffin
Defender scores deep into added time and 10-man Leicester make United slip even further behind City
IN the ecstasy of the moment of a superb Harry Maguire equaliser and a stunning Leicester comeback, it is easy to forget how far Manchester United have come.
Some context: after 19 games last season, the halfway point, they had 36 points and were sixth. After last night, at the same stage, they have 42 points and are second.
Sometimes they may not look like a United team in terms of style, though often they do. And in terms of serious intent, they are getting back to what they were.
There is always a but, of course. But for Manchester City, this would be a perfectly reasonable opening half of the season. And but for some awful finishing, they would have come away from Leicester with three points.
It should be said that Leicester’s added-time equaliser was a thing of great beauty. A long, precise though slightly desperate ball into the box by Marc Albrighton was met with a run and finish of exquisite t i ming by Maguire, who capped a lovely performance with his goal, pretty much the last kick of a fine game. For their endeavour and determination, Leicester just about deserved it.
Yet United should have won comfortably. Jesse Lingard broke clear only to hit a post when it seemed easier to make it 3-1.
United are almost there; yet not quite. It might be a summary of the first half of their season: a lot better than they were, but still not good enough. That 13-point gap to their noisy neighbours, once an irritant yet now making a pitch to be one of the great teams, is a gigantic chasm. Throw in the Pep Guardiola-Jose Mourinho factor, and this must feel unbearable.
As for Leicester, they may go through the managers but there is a trademark style and this team were set up in their own classic title-winning 2015-16 formation, ready to spring on the break.
Right from the off, Jamie Vardy and Demarai Gray looked sharp and United looked tentative — just the way Leicester like it.
The first goal came on 27 minutes, starting with the sheer cool- ness of Maguire, under pressure in his own box, finding Christian Fuchs. One hoof and the moment would have been gone. But Fuchs fed the midfield who found Wilfred Ndidi, and he saw the huge space United had allowed Riyad Mahrez and played a fine through pass.
Mahrez in this mood is some player. He chased the ball down, sl i ghtly overran himself but appeared to have missed the chance as Chris Smalling got back.
Then, exquisitely, he slowed everything down and waited a split second for Vardy to join him. As Smalling hesitated, his brain seemingly scrambled by Mahrez’s sheer poise, the Algerian rolled the ball into the path of Vardy, who naturally scored with his first touch.
United, though, had their own more considered attacking threat and responded on 38 minutes with a precise passing move involving Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic then Juan Mata working with Anthony Martial. The Frenchman’s cross was deflected to Lingard, who deftly touched the ball back to Mata and he shot home through a phalanx of players to equalise.
Given the early chances United had fashioned with Lingard and Pogba testing Kasper Schmeichel from long range, they merited the equaliser but still looked unsure at the back.
Vardy’s clever chipped free-kick beat their back line just before half time and Maguire, ghosting in behind, couldn’t quite control the ball as it ran away from him with just David de Gea to beat. Leicester’s best chance to regain the lead came on 52 minutes, Mahrez toying with United and teasing in a cross. Gray couldn’t quite connect, missing a superb opportunity as Fuchs raced in at the far post only to see his shot blocked.
United had an even better opening two minutes later as Romelu Lukaku made his presence felt by finding Martial in time and space with just Schmeichel to beat. But the Frenchman snatched at his shot, lifting it wastefully over.
On the hour, United’s moment came and it was Mata again, playing superbly, who provided. Sizing up a free kick 20 yards out, he deftly lifted the ball over a jumping defensive wall into the corner.
Lingard missed his extraordinary opportunity to secure the points but United remained in control, thanks in part to the indiscipline of Leicester sub Daniel Amartey. On for Vicente Iborra he picked up two yellows for fouls on Ashley Young and Marcus Rashford. Not the contribution manager Claude Puel had in mind, but Maguire came to his rescue.