Leicester 5-3 Man Utd

by Simon Williams, at Filbert Way

Leicester City fought back from 3-1 down to beat Manchester United 5-3 in a pulsating game at Filbert Way yesterday.

Robin van Persie opened the scoring for the visitors after 13 minutes with his first goal of the season, heading home an inch-perfect cross from Radamel Falcao on the left flank.

Angel Di Maria then doubled the visitors lead with a sublime chip of Kasper Schmeichel before Leonardo Ulloa pulled one back for the home side.

And United restored the two-goal cushion courtesy of Ander Herrara after the break — his second goal in as many games since joining the Reds in the summer from Athletic Bilbao.

But the Foxes were back in the game after Rafael bundled into Jamie Vardy in the box and David Nugent stepped up to convert the resulting penalty.

Two minutes later Esteban Cambiasso, a free transfer from Inter Milan, levelled the scores — drilling a low shot past David de Gea.

From then on there was only one team that was going to win the game, with the visitors looking short of ideas in the attacking third and vulnerable at the back.

And sure enough the home

side capitalised on that vulnerability when man of the match Vardy handed his side the lead 11 minutes from time.

United’s afternoon went from bad to worse when Tyler Blackett was sentoff for bringing down Vardy in the box.

The Argentine Ulloa stepped up to score his for fifth goal of the season and give Nigel Pearson’s side a much-deserved win.

After the match United manager Louis van Gaal was left disappointed having seen his side fail to see off their hosts despite twice having a two-goal cushion.

He said: “I have been in this profession for 25 years and I have had another experience like this with Barcelona. We were three goals ahead and with a quarter to play and we lost 3-4. That was also with a top club.

“You never expect it when you are two goals ahead for the second time. You have to kill the game and keep possession. We couldn’t do that.”