Manchester United vs. Leicester: Score, Reaction from 2016 Premier League Game

Manchester United forced Leicester City to put their Premier League title-winning champagne on ice on Sunday, as the Red Devils held the champions elect to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

Three points at the Theatre of Dreams would have been enough for the Foxes to secure an astonishing league triumph, yet Anthony Martial's early strike brought the travelling fans back down to earth.

However, Leicester captain Wes Morgan headed his side level minutes later to bring them closer to glory. And although Danny Drinkwater was given his marching orders late in the game for a second bookable offence, United failed to take advantage of the extra man as the spoils were shared.

The point sits better with Leicester than it does United, as anything but a victory for Tottenham Hotspur against Chelsea on Monday night will see the Premier League trophy head to the King Power Stadium.

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United, meanwhile, look like they will be consigned to life in the Europa League next term, as Sunday's 1-1 draw left them four points back of rivals Manchester City in the race for fourth place.

In a pulsating first half, United started the game like a side that didn’t want their Premier League limelight stolen. It seemed the Old Trafford faithful’s cries of “attack, attack, attack” finally got through to the United players, as they were surging forward at every opportunity.

And it wasn’t long before the home side made the breakthrough.

Antonio Valencia’s cross from the right flank went through a crowd of players to Martial, who calmly slotted the ball home past Kasper Schmeichel’s legs with eight minutes on the clock. 

The Frenchman’s movement to get into scoring position was sublime, but it was a nightmare start for the Foxes and manager Claudio Ranieri. In fact, it was a double dose of disappointment for Ranieri, having given Martial’s career lift-off back in 2013—per Sky Sports Statto:

United weren’t satisfied with just the one goal, though, and they almost doubled their advantage five minutes after taking the lead through Jesse Lingard.

Marouane Fellaini brought the ball down brilliantly in the Leicester box before cutting back for Lingard, but the Englishman’s shot was saved by Schmeichel at his near post. Manchester United lauded their former player’s heroics in goal:

At this stage of the match, you’d have been forgiven for thinking that United were going to go on and give Leicester a hiding, but the Foxes then did to United what they’ve done to so many other teams this season: scored against the run of play.

Drinkwater floated a hopeful cross into the area from a free-kick, which Morgan threw himself at to nod Leicester level on his 601st appearance in club football, as Sky Sports Statto revealed:

The way the skipper attacked the ball summed up how he’s approached this season’s Premier League, and the Times' Henry Winter was full of praise for the defender:

It was Leicester's first real foray into the United half, but the Foxes fans behind the goal didn’t care about that, and some began to dream about lifting the title on the hallowed turf of Old Trafford.

Others, meanwhile, were just satisfied to keep their Premier League status intact, per Bleacher Report UK:

Morgan’s equaliser opened the game up, and both sides had chances to take the lead before the interval.

Lingard raced through one-on-one with Schmeichel after capitalising on an error by Danny Simpson, but the full-back just did enough to put his countryman off.

At the other end, PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez was being his usual tricky self, and he appeared to have gotten the better of Marcos Rojo in the United box before being brought down. Referee Michael Oliver, however, was unmoved, and the sides went in at the break level at 1-1.

The 15-minute break gave the world the chance to get its breath back, and the second half was a much tenser affair.

Leonardo Ulloa was causing United a lot of problems and had a few solid efforts at David de Gea’s goal, while Wayne Rooney and Martial tried desperately to make the breakthrough.

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One of the best chances of the second period fell to Chris Smalling midway through the half, as he nodded Rooney’s pass just wide of the mark.

But Leicester’s goal was relatively untroubled in truth, as the resilience of Morgan and Robert Huth kept Louis van Gaal’s men at bay.

If there was to be a winner, you got the sense it would be the Foxes, although their job of securing the title was made even harder when they were reduced to 10 men in the 86^th minute.

Despite being booked earlier in the second half, Drinkwater pulled back an advancing Memphis Depay just outside the area, yet as Sky Sports Football revealed, it was dangerously close to being a penalty:

Being a man light made Leicester much more nervous in the closing stages, but they just about managed to hang on and draw ever closer to the most incredible title win in Premier League history.

And even though they still officially need two points from their remaining two games to cross the line, Winter has no doubt the Foxes will do exactly that, and deservedly so:

The impossible has so nearly been proved possible, and it's stubborn performances like Sunday's that have made it all happen.

Should Tottenham find a way past Chelsea on Monday, Leicester can win the title on home soil against Everton on Saturday, May 7.

Reaction

After the match, Leicester hero Morgan and fellow defender Simpson said they had to “dig deep” to keep United at bay, but their resilience shone through—per Sky Sports Football:

Manager Ranieri, meanwhile, praised his side’s mentality during the 1-1 draw, before revealing he won’t be watching Tottenham’s crucial trip to Chelsea as he’ll be on a flight to Italy, per BBC Sport:

"

The performance was good after the first 15 minutes, when we were a little scared. United started very well and it was difficult for us to restart. After the goal we played better and I think the draw is the right result. For us it was important to show our mentality - the beginning wasn't good but after that I appreciated our performance. I'd like to watch the Tottenham match but I'm on a flight back from Italy so I might not know the result until I land. For us it's important to continue to work.

"

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His opposite number Van Gaal was also in a optimistic mood, as he labelled the performance one of United’s best this term.

"I think it's one of our best performances this season, but we didn't score the winning goal and we were so close, so it's a big pity. They are very strong with set plays and we have to organise better.”