Leicester 2-2 Manchester United: Maguire steals points in stoppage time

In the primetime fixture ahead of Christmas Day, Leicester welcomed Manchester United to the King Power Stadium in what looked to be an entertaining contest.

And boy did it not disappoint.

A pair of goals on either side of the break for both sides, including a last-gasp game-leveling finish by Harry Maguire made the 2-2 draw easily the best fixture of the day.

Starting very much on the front foot, United controlled possession and the attempts on goal with chances very early on. In the 5th minute, Jesse Lingard had a nice crack at goal that was deflected over the bar by Schmeichel. Same for Paul Pogba in the 8th minute it.

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It looked as though the pressure from the visitors was going to be too much to bare for Claude Puel’s men but it was Jamie Vardy who had the breakthrough in the 27th minute.

A vintage Leicester break that started with a deep Wilfred Ndidi ball over the top to Riyad Mahrez was paid off by Vardy who, streaking up the field, took the beautiful delayed pass from the Algerian and blasted home to give the home side the 1-0 lead.

An even game for the next 10 minutes or so, United was able to tie things up in the 40th minute through Juan Mata. The diminutive Spaniard took a bouncing ball in the Foxes’ box and was able to slot cooly past Kasper Schmeichel to even the score going into the half.

After the intermission, the teams didn’t slow down as they exchanged big chances in the 53rd with Mahrez’s fantastic weaving run through the United box saw Christian Fuchs open on the ball with a chance at a near open goal. His shot was blocked wonderfully by Victor Lindelof to keep the score tied.

In flash, the Red Devils were down the other end with a wide open Anthony Martial missing an open net after Lukaku set him up expertly.

It would be United who would have the upper hand some seven minutes later however as Juan Mata doubled the lead and his goal total for the match with a perfectly placed free kick from the top of the area.

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The match would push on with City pulling their way back into the proceedings. A big knock was taken for the home side when Daniel Amartey, just subbed on for the injured Danny Simpson, saw two yellow cards in barely five minutes and put the visitors with a comfortable goal and man advantage.

It was Leicester though who would push the envelope the remaining 20 minutes of the match though and they were rewarded for their hard work in stoppage time.

Harry Maguire, the young English centerback quickly becoming a fan favorite around the East Midlands, was able to bring Leicester back on terms with mere seconds left on the clock after Marc Albrighton’s lovely weighted cross found him at the far post.

A flick of the foot later and David de Gea was left watching the ball travel past him into the far corner to tie the match at 2-2.

The draw pulls City within six points of 7th placed Burnley who lost today against Tottenham. Manchester United have a massive climb ahead of them to catch league leaders Manchester City who now have a 13-point cushion at the top.

Up next for the Foxes is a boxing day trip to London to take on Watford at Vicarage Road.