Manchester United 3, Leicester City 0
A double strike by Marcus Rashford plus a third by Jadon Sancho ensured Manchester United beat Leicester City and strengthened their grip on third spot.
Rashford, who broke his own scoring record with his 23rd and 24th goals this season, and Sancho – who is coming back into form after a period out of the team – gave the Reds a chance to rest players ahead of the Barcelona game this week.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 3, Leicester City 0
David De Gea: 8. Super saves to deny Harvey Barnes and Kelechi Iheanacho in opening minutes. Also saved from James Maddison.
Diogo Dalot: 7. Blocked a goalbound shot by Kelechi Iheanacho and scuffed a shot wide with the goal at his mercy after he tried shooting with his right foot when his left foot would have been better.
Victor Lindelof: 7. Rare start, little went wrong for him.
Lisandro Martinez: 8. Beefy tackles at the back and a header that came off the Leicester crossbar. Quick pass to Fred started the move that ended with Marcus Rashford’s second goal and he robbed Kelechi Iheanacho to start the move that ended in Jadon Sancho’s goal.
Luke Shaw: 7. Isolated at times defending, so couldn’t maraud as much as he would have liked. Free kick over the bar at the end of the first half. Hurt his knee while tackling Timothy Castagne.
Fred: 7. Intelligent movement and enthusiastic in the press but sloppy on the ball at times. Set up Marcus Rashford for his second.
Marcel Sabitzer: 7. Always looking for the forward pass and he intercepted Wout Faes’ poor clearance to set up Bruno Fernandes for a ball forward. Not so great at the defensive part of the game and could have been punished for a clumsy challenge on Wout Faes.
Marcus Rashford: 9. Little space to operate in until a poor clearance allowed United to break and he pounced. Had a second half shot saved by Danny Ward before scoring a second for the Reds, beating the offside trap..
Bruno Fernandes: 8. Slow start until he found some space and released Marcus Rashford for the opening goal, should have had a second assist but for extremely poor finishing by Diogo Dalot but did get it setting up Jadon Sancho in the second half..
Alejandro Garnacho: 6. Neglected defensive duties, leaving Luke Shaw outnumbered. Quiet game and replaced at half time.
Wout Weghorst: 7. Another deeper role where he could help link play, press and tackle, but not great in front of goal.
Jadon Sancho (on for Alejandro Garnacho, 46): 7. Scored a great third goal to make the game safe for United. Could have had a second but Wout Faes got back to block his shot.
Scott McTominay (on for Fred, 59): 6. Walloped in the face.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (on for Luke Shaw, 69): 6. Delivered a great cross after coming on.
Anthony Elanga (on for Marcus Rashford, 69): 6. Stationed on left flank, helped keep another clean sheet.
Kobbie Mainoo (on for Marcel Sabitzer, 80): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester United 3, Leicester City 0
Man Utd 1, Leicester City 0: 25. A poor clearance by Wout Faes was intercepted by Marcel Sabitzer who quickly fed Bruno Fenandes – who quickly lofted the ball up for Marcus Rashford to run clear and score past Danny Ward.
Man Utd 2, Leicester City 0: 56. Marcus Rashford hit his second after a VAR check confirmed that he was onside after Fred put him through following Lisandro Martinez’ ball to him.
Man Utd 3, Leicester City 0: 61. Jadon Sancho scored from close range after exchanging passes with Bruno Fernandes after Lisandro Martinez robbed Kelechi Iheanacho and started the move that Marcel Sabitzer and Marcus Rashford were involved in.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 3, Leicester City 0
Man Utd: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Lisandro Martinez, Shaw (Wan-Bissaka 69), Fred (McTominay 59), Sabitzer (Mainoo, 80), Rashford (Elanga 69), Fernandes, Garnacho (Sancho 46), Weghorst
Man Utd Subs not used: Heaton, Malacia, Varane, Pellistri
Goals: Rashford 25, 56; Sancho 61
Leicester City: Ward, Castagne, Souttar, Faes, Kristiansen, Mendy (Soumare 59), Dewsbury-Hall (Tielemens 59), Tete (Praet 75), Maddison, Barnes, Iheanacho (Vardy 75)
Leicester City Subs not used: Iversen, Amartey, Daka, Pereira, Ndidi
Bookings: Faes 45+2 (foul on Marcus Rashford), Mendy 48 (foul on Marcus Rashford)
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Attendance: 73,578