Jadon Sancho scored the game’s lone goal as Manchester United beat Leicester City 1-0 on Thursday at the King Power Stadium for their third win in a row.
After a stuttering start to the season, Erik ten Hag’s side came into the match off the back of Premier League wins over Liverpool and Southampton and saw both captain Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo left out of the starting XI for the third game in a row.
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United hit Leicester on a quick counter-attack midway through the first half as Marcus Rashford threaded the ball through the hosts’ backline to Sancho, who rounded goalkeeper Danny Ward with his first touch and rolled the ball into an empty net with his second to finish the move.
The opener seemed to boost the visitors’ confidence and they pushed forward throughout the remainder of the opening 45 minutes, but no second goal came and United took their 1-0 lead into the break.
Ten Hag brought on summer arrival Casemiro for Anthony Elanga just before the hour mark as United clung to their lead and Leicester chased an equaliser.
Ronaldo, who United insist will not leave the club before Thursday’s end to the transfer window, came on shortly after in place of Sancho and looked lively, setting up Rashford for a chance in the 82nd minute and bouncing an overhead kick past Ward’s far post minutes later.
Leicester had a late chance to level but full-back James Justin blasted high and wide from a promising position on the right as United collected back-to-back away victories.
Man United saw out the remainder of the match to move into fifth place in the Premier League on nine points — one ahead of rivals Liverpool in the table — while winless Leicester sit dead last with just a single point from their opening five games.