HARRY Maguire stuns United as 10-man Foxes escape with brilliant point in ‘Fergie time’
OLD TRAFFORD’S NOT SO SPECIAL ONE
And it’s more misery for Jose Mourinho after watching little maestro Juan Mata deliver twice.
However, Leicester contributed fully to an entertaining match, even if they did finish with 10 men when substitute Daniel Amartey managed to get two bookings in a short cameo.
There was also the bright spot for the home side of a 50th Premier League for Jamie Vardy.
Mourinho has been in proper “Bah, humbug!” mode for days now, but the sight of the Foxes taking the lead, against the run of play, would have upped the grumpiness several notches.
For the neutral, though, what a delight. And for the Leicester fans already treated to a free mince pie and blue Santa hat, another present.
Everyone knows that City like nothing better than being under pressure, relying on the quick wits and quicker feet of Vardy, Riyad Mahrez, Demarai Gray and Marc Albrighton to release the valve on a regular basis.
Not many would have seen this coming, though. Pinned back for most of the first half hour, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi pinged a long chip to Mahrez. The Woodward, United’s executive vice-chairman, of being disreputable in how he had sacked the Dutch coach.
Now, Van Gaal, 66, has told United stars to quit the club, if left too long on the bench.
Van Gaal said: “Daley Blind (right) is better off going to Barcelona than staying with ball actually bounced over his head, but the Leicester winger stayed calm and waited for partner-in-crime Vardy.
Mahrez’s pass was perfectly weighted, Vardy did not have to alter stride and, just like that, David De Gea was picking the ball out of his net.
To put the goal into context, Leicester had beaten United once in 17 league meetings before last night – and that was a 5-3 humdinger three years ago.
Also, Leicester boss Claude Puel had never beaten Mourinho in five meetings. United had certainly created enough in their opening spell to suggest a goal was always on the cards, from the first minutes when Chris Smalling headed over the bar and Kasper Schmeichel had to react to efforts from Jesse Lingard and Paul Pogba. Going Man United. He is not even on the bench for United sometimes. Daley can play in more than one position and, at Barca, he would never be sitting in the stand.”
Old Trafford bosses have been shocked by the way Pep Guardiola’s behind provoked the perfect response and also turned a slow burner of a match into a sizzler.
The equaliser looked inevitable and so it proved. Mata instigated a move, which included Pogba and Anthony Martial, before Lingard’s little tee-up.
Mata, surrounded by bodies, shot low and with a minimum of backlift.
Schmeichel beaten, honours even. Just before half-time, the Foxes had another glorious chance to take the lead. Mahrez floated a free-kick and Maguire, of all people, was inches away from connecting.
Defender Maguire was kept on his toes at the other end as the intriguing match became ever more open. At one end there was Mahrez dancing down the wing and providing another danger Manchester City have turned the title race into a procession, with Mourinho seemingly unable to respond. And key boardroom members are also unhappy about the ultra-pragmatic, tactical approach employed by the Portuguese. Questions are ball, which somehow missed Gray and sped past Christian Fuchs.
Almost immediately Martial blazed over the bar from inside the area.
Mata to the rescue. Maguire was judged to have blocked Martial, the United midfielder sent a left-foot freekick past Schmeichel, who used his right arm bizarrely. Mata took his tally to three for the season.
They were denied a third when Lingard pulled Schmeichel out of position and, with the goal gaping, hit the post.
Amartey, on for Danny Simpson just before the hour, then picked up two bookings, leaving Leicester 15 minutes to find an equaliser while a man short.
They threw everything at it in injurytime. Then Maguire struck... to spoil Jose’s Christmas. now being asked whether Mourinho should be handed an extension on the three-year contract he signed in 2016.
United, who also have the option of triggering an extra 12 months on Mourinho’s current deal, were expected to hand the 54-year-old a fresh agreement that would also give him a significant rise on his £12million-a-year wages. It is evident that Mourinho is feeling the pressure of trying to beat his old foe Guardiola.
Mourinho has won the title in his second season at every club he has managed. But it is going to take a City collapse in the second half of the season – coupled with a United fightback – to maintain that record.