McTOMINAY’S RED RULE
English Premier
GREATER Manchester’s traffic department have had to absorb their share of criticism in recent years as the city choked in the grip of a series of major roadworks projects. Like the rest of us, it appears, they have turned to sport for some light relief.
When Australia came to town to play the Fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford in the wake of their defeat at Headingley, digital signs billed the match as ‘Sir Ben Stokes v Australia’ and advised commuters to ‘sand minutes off your journey’ by taking the tram.
Yesterday, they welcomed Leicester to the city with another message of advice to use public transport but headlined it with the banner that the match between the visitors and Manchester United was ‘The Race for Sixth’.
It was written, at a guess, by a Manchester City fan.
If it was the Race for Sixth, United ended it in pole position. They are not going to challenge Liverpool or City for the title this season. That much is clear already. But this victory over Brendan Rodgers’ hitherto unbeaten side suggested that they may not be destined for ignominy of midtable, either, as many of their detractors claimed they would be.
In light of United’s worst start to the league season for 27 years, many were confidently predicting a Leicester victory at Old Trafford and another dollop of pressure being loaded on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but even though it was a closely contested match, it was United who secured a deserved victory and moved above their opponents into the top four.
Marcus Rashford scored the United winner from the spot after eight minutes and nearly added to the margin of victory in the closing stages with a free-kick that hit the crossbar
Rodgers said afterwards: ‘It was a harsh decision but I think it was a penalty. Rashford is cute and bright and he is waiting for the contact and he gets the penalty. Our performances are getting better and better but there is still a lot of work for us to do.’
United’s win was forged in the midfield engine room where Scott McTominay dominated and nullified the influence of Youri Tielemans and James Maddison for long periods.
Harry Maguire was booed lustily by the Leicester fans after his £80m summer move from the King Power Stadium but he, too, excelled. United, who lost their previous home game to Crystal Palace, are still a long way away from being ready to mix it with City and Liverpool but, in their long climb back towards the top, this felt like it was at least a baby step in the right direction.
United started strongly, tearing into Leicester, pressing them relentlessly, refusing to let them settle. Scotland star McTominay, growing in stature with every game and becoming a key player in Solskjaer’s plans, was at the heart of their energy and their determination. He overwhelmed the creative players in the visitors’ midfield of whom so much had been expected.
‘He is learning his new role as a sitting midfielder,’ said Solskjaer. ‘If an opponent is trying to intimidate us, he is the first one to stand up. I wouldn’t want to go into a 50-50 tackle with him.’
Leicester almost equalised in injury time when Wilfred Ndidi lashed a volley just wide but United clung on.