PL Collection: United’s best games v Leicester

When the Midlands outfit won the Premier League title in 2016, they became one of only six (now seven) clubs - including United - to triumph the competition since its inception in 1992.

Having returned to the division in 2014, the Foxes have become a stable Premier League side and have finished in the European spots on multiple occasions since their historic campaign six years ago.

United have faced Leicester 32 times since the creation of the league, winning more than half (19) of the clashes. In addition, the Reds held a remarkable nine-match Premier League win streak over the Foxes from 1999 to 2004. Leicester were relegated from the league in the latter year and didn’t return until the 2014/15 term.

Clashes between the sides have often been enticing and produced some remarkable scores, such as the one in the first game we have picked out below...

LEICESTER 2 UNITED 6 (1998/99)

The Reds travelled to the Midlands in January of our 1998/99 Treble-winning season needing to win to maintain pressure on then-league leaders Chelsea. Dwight Yorke scored the first goal of the match after just 10 minutes, slotting home Denis Irwin’s cross before Theo Zagorakis drew the hosts level. A second-half brace for Andy Cole and a second goal for Yorke extended our lead over the Foxes to three goals as we entered the closing stages. Steve Walsh managed to reduce the deficit to two after 75 minutes, but Jaap Stam’s first United goal followed Yorke’s third of the match to confirm a vital away victory at Filbert Street. This win proved pivotal in our title success and the Reds would go on to achieve an iconic Treble later that term.

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 4 (2003/04)

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s fifth United hat-trick went a long way to ensuring that the Reds took three points away from the Walkers (now King Power) Stadium on matchday seven of the 2003/04 season. Roy Keane’s first United goal in 41 matches gave the Reds the lead after 15 minutes before van Nistelrooy struck twice to give United a deserved half-time lead. The Dutchman completed his hat-trick just seven minutes after the restart, finishing clinically from Eric Djemba-Djemba’s through ball to give the Reds a four-goal lead. Frank Sinclair pulled back a consolation goal for the Foxes, but the damage had already been done, ensuring that United earned an important win to maintain pressure on league leaders Arsenal.

UNITED 4 LEICESTER 1 (2016/17)

The second 4-1 scoreline on this list as Jose Mourinho’s side swept aside Leicester at Old Trafford in the 2016/17 season. Much like the 2003/04 clash, the Reds had a four-goal advantage before the Foxes responded. On this occasion, however, United established this lead before the break. Chris Smalling’s 22^nd-minute header opened the scoring before Juan Mata fired home a second 15 minutes later. The Spaniard then turned provider to assist Marcus Rashford’s goal from a quickly taken corner before Paul Pogba headed home his first Reds goal from another corner to give us a 4-0 lead at half-time. Demarai Gray struck back for the visitors after the break, but our four first-half goals were enough to seal an emphatic victory over the then-Premier League champions.

LEICESTER 0 UNITED 2 (2019/20)

The final match of our selection is our mightily important 2-0 win on the Premier League final day at the King Power Stadium in 2020; a triumph that sealed our Champions League qualification. Moved back to July due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Reds concluded the season at the home of one of our top-four rivals. The fixture was tightly contested, and it was only in the 71^st minute that the deadlock was broken.

Bruno Fernandes calmly slotted home a penalty after Foxes captain Wes Morgan fouled Anthony Martial in the box, giving the Reds a vital lead. Former Red Jonny Evans was dismissed in added time for a lunge on Scott McTominay before Jesse Lingard’s 98^th-minute goal put the result beyond all doubt. This win lifted us to third in the Premier League table and kept Leicester in fifth, ensuring that we would be playing Champions League football the following season.

UNITED v LEICESTER: PL RECORD

Games played: 32
United wins: 19
Draws: 9
Leicester wins: 4
United goals: 66
Leicester goals: 31
Top scorer: Andy Cole/Dwight Yorke/Marcus Rashford (6)