A very big game is around the corner this weekend. Manchester United will be welcoming the league leaders Leicester City and the two Premier League giants will be colliding for the very last time in the league this season.
If the Foxes beat Manchester United in the game, they will complete the most remarkable title success in the club’s history. United will be stepping on to the pitch with the fact in their head that any mistake will cost them a fortune and their dream of achieving the top four finish will be demolished.
Manchester United are undefeated in their last 6 home games (in the League) and will do anything to stay intact. Well, it will be a homecoming for some former Manchester United players as Danny Drinkwater and Danny Simpson will return to Old Trafford with a different ambition in their head.
Claudio Ranieri’s extraordinary team has shaken the whole league with some breathtaking performances over the season and have lost just 3 games in the league.
This will be a battle of honor where United will be doing everything to make sure that Leicester won’t win the title at the Theatre Of Dreams.
Here are the 3 key battles that will decide Manchester United’s game against Leicester City-
Rashford vs Wes Morgan-
Manchester United’s new hero Marcus Rashford will be leading the line for the club and he will be facing the Jamaican beast Wes Morgan. The defender averages 9 defensive actions per game and has been a standout performer for the team. He can easily outmuscle Rashford in terms of physical battles and the aerial battles.
Rashford, on the other hand, has quick feet and possesses and ability to finish the ball with composure. The young Manchester United gun can manage to beat the defender in pace, but, not in the other attributes. Rashford can find the space in the box all by himself and can make some good runs with the ball as well. Partnering him up with Anthony Martial makes him a threat, but Morgan alongside Huth will make sure that the duo won’t harm the Leicester’s territory.
Ulloa vs Smalling-
Thanks to the Jamie Vardy’s suspension that the Argentine has finally got the breakthrough in the team’s starting XI. He had a great game against Swansea where he gave his side a breather by scoring a brace.
Standing 6’1” tall, he is a great header of the ball and can easily beat Blind in the aerial tackles. Chris Smalling, on the other hand, has the advantage of the height and if Manchester United is to stop Ulloa from scoring, they need Smalling to mark the Argentine not Blind.
Smalling alongside his compatriot Daley Blind has defended Manchester United’s post decently in the recent games and Leicester City can cause some real problems to them in the fixture. Shinji Okazaki is an obvious threat as he has got the pace and the skill to get past the defenders. Ulloa will surely complement with the Japanese to cause United some problems.
Schneiderlin vs Mahrez-
Schneiderlin plays as a defensive midfielder and Mahrez is usually deployed at the wings. But we all are aware of the fact that the French-Born Algerian loves to cut inside the half. Most of the Leicester City’s attacks are made from the mistake of the opposition and Schneiderlin needs to verify that his team doesn’t make any mistake at the back.
United are criticized for playing too many back passes this season and the team do know that Leicester enjoys pressing the opponent’s area. Leicester’s first goal against the Swans was the result of the same where, Mahrez played a major role. That’s why the team needs to drop the idea of passing the ball back to the defenders. Majorly, it will be Schneiderlin’s job to give his side a momentum and give them a chance to run into the Leicester’s box.