Match preview: United v Leicester

The Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid prior to the international break means there are just nine top-flight games between now and the end of our 2021/22 campaign.

It's still set to be a busy April, though, with five fixtures in the schedule during the month as we continue to battle with Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham for fourth place and a spot in next season's Champions League.

The Foxes clash will be key in that tussle, so here's everything you need to know ahead of the game...

HOW TO WATCH

In the UK, Saturday’s game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

Alternatively, you can follow our matchday coverage as always, where we will keep you updated throughout, via ManUtd.com and the Manchester United App, with the latter having rolling updates, in-game data and expert insight.

We’ll also have the usual live radio commentary for you on MUTV, along with pre-match build-up from 16:25 BST and all the reaction from Old Trafford after the final whistle.

TEAM NEWS

It remains to be seen what impact the recent internationals have had on the fitness of the United squad, but we almost had a clean bill of health prior to the players leaving to join up with their countries. Luke Shaw missed the Reds’ last three games but has been involved for England during the break, scoring the equaliser in Saturday’s 2-1 friendly win over Switzerland.

The headline absentee for Leicester is Wilfred Ndidi. The midfielder suffered a knee injury during the recent Conference League clash with Rennes and this kept him out of Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Ghana, with Brendan Rodgers suggesting he may not feature again this season. Ryan Bertrand and Danny Ward are also out after operations, although Rodgers may be able to welcome back Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton, having suggested the long-serving pair were not too far from a return during his most recent press conference, on Friday 19 March.

FORM GUIDE

United beat Tottenham 3-2 in our most recent league game, but the north Londoners have actually overtaken us in the Premier League table in the meantime after successive wins over Brighton and West Ham. We also now sit four points behind Arsenal in fourth spot, as the Gunners recorded a 1-0 victory at Villa Park on Saturday 20 March thanks to Bukayo Saka’s goal.

Leicester have been in the Champions League mix in recent seasons but currently sit 10th in the table, 14 points behind United albeit with games in hand on all the sides above them. Rodgers’s men have been beset by injury and illness problems this season, particularly over the festive period, when five of their games were called off due to Covid-19 cases in either their or the opposition’s squad. The stop-start beginning to 2022 meant the Foxes didn’t register a first league win of the year until March, but they’ve now tasted victory in three of their last four contests, edging out Brentford 2-1 at the King Power Stadium before the break.

RECENT MEETINGS

The Midlands outfit have enjoyed a recent purple patch against United, having won each of the last three games across league and cup. However, the Reds’ record when the Foxes visit Manchester is pretty impressive overall. Before Rodgers’s side emerged from last May’s match – where United played a heavily-rotated side – 2-1 victors, we’d been unbeaten against Leicester at the Theatre of Dreams since 1998. Leicester have taken all three points on just six of their 52 sojourns to M16.

KEY STATS

United have scored more goals, 10, via substitutes this season than any other side, with Marcus Rashford netting a league-high four of these goals. Meanwhile, no side has conceded more goals to subs this season than Leicester City (7).

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 12 Premier League goals this season – in the competition’s history, only Gianfranco Zola has scored more in a single campaign aged 36 or over (14 in 2002-03).

Courtesy of Opta.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Andre Marriner.
Assistants: Darren Cann, Ian Hussin.
Fourth official: Martin Atkinson.
VAR: Michael Oliver.
Assistant VAR: Simon Long.

RIVALS WATCH

SATURDAY 2 APRIL

Liverpool v Watford (12:30 BST)
Brighton v Norwich
Burnley v Manchester City
Chelsea v Brentford
Leeds v Southampton
Wolves v Aston Villa
UNITED v Leicester (17:30 BST)

SUNDAY 3 APRIL

West Ham v Everton (14:00 BST)
Tottenham v Newcastle (16:30 BST)

MONDAY 4 APRIL

Crystal Palace v Arsenal (20:00 BST)

All kick-offs 15:00 BST unless stated.