Marcus Rashford scored twice to continue his hot streak and help Manchester United overcome Leicester in the Premier League.
Rashford is in the form of his career and is leading United’s resurgence, taking his tally to 24 goals for the season with strikes in each half at Old Trafford.
Both efforts were clinical finishes, latching on to passes from Bruno Fernandes and Fred before bearing down on goal and coolly slotting past Danny Ward.
Substitute Jadon Sancho finished off a fine team move to seal all three points for Erik ten Hag’s side, but it could have been a very different story.
Leicester created the better chances when it was goalless and their failure to find a way past David de Gea proved costly.
The Spaniard made a stunning reflex save to deny Harvey Barnes from close range and kept out Kelechi Iheanacho’s diving header with another superb stop.
Defeat ended Leicester’s three-game unbeaten run and an inconsistent season sees them remain in 14th place in the table.
Red-hot Rashford leads United’s charge
Manchester United face the most important week of Ten Hag’s short tenure, coming up against Barcelona in their Europa League play-off second leg on Thursday, followed by a trip to Wembley where they face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
They go into those two huge games bang in form, having lost just three of their 22 league games, and ruthless finishing ended Leicester’s challenge on this occasion.
Leading the charge is England international Rashford, who has now secured his most prolific campaign for United with three months still to play.
The 25-year-old took his tally to 17 goals in 18 games since the end of the World Cup, the most by a player in Europe’s top five leagues.
His goals had the hallmarks of a player full of confidence, stroking into the net when through on goal and he could have had a hat-trick when he beat two defenders but drilled his shot straight at Ward.
Diogo Dalot missed a glaring chance from six yards out, miscuing the excellent Fernandes’ cross, while Lisandro Martinez headed against the crossbar in a second half that was bossed by the home side.
United’s aim at the start of the campaign would have been a return to the Champions League and they are well on their way to achieving that, lying third in the table and eight points clear of Eddie Howe’s side in fifth.
Looking above them, is a title charge out of the question? United are five points adrift of leaders Arsenal, although the Gunners have played a game fewer.
Foxes rue missed chances
This was a case of what might have been for Leicester.
Brendan Rodgers’ side came into the game following a thumping 4-1 victory over Spurs last Saturday but will rue the failure to take their opportunities this time.
De Gea denied Barnes and Iheanacho to claim a 180th clean sheet for the Red Devils, drawing alongside Peter Schmeichel’s club record.
Leicester’s January signing Tete flashed a shot wide of the far post and James Maddison dragged an effort off target as the Foxes went home empty-handed.
The hosts could have had a man sent off when Marcel Sabitzer caught defender Wout Faes on the knee with his studs, but neither the referee nor VAR took any action.
Leicester will look to get back to winning ways but face another big test, hosting top of the table Arsenal on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Reports /TrainViral/
