Leicester comeback leaves United speechless

Foxes rally to down Red Devils 5-3 in Premier League.

LONDON: Leicester City came from 3-1 down to beat Manchester United 5-3 in a thrilling Premier League clash, piling on the early season agony for Louis van Gaal.

It seemed big-spenders United were on course for their first competitive away victory under Van Gaal after goals by Robin van Persie, Angel di Maria and Ander Herrera left them 3-1 up with just over 30 minutes remaining at the King Power Stadium.

But a controversial penalty, converted by David Nugent, reduced the Foxes’ deficit to 3-2 after they had got on the scoresheet through Leonardo Ulloa.

Two minutes after Nugent’s penalty, Esteban Cambiasso drew Leicester level at 3-3 before Jamie Vardy, given time and space, made it 4-3 in the 79th minute.

Four minutes later, Ulloa made the game safe for promoted Leicester when, after United’s Tyler Blackett had been sent off for bringing down Vardy in the box, the striker scored his second goal and Leicester’s fifth from the penalty spot.

“We have given the game away,” said Van Gaal. “Leicester have already proven in four games that they have a strong character and that when they are 3-1 down, you can play all the game with more possession but you cannot do these kind of things.”

Delighted Leicester boss Nigel Pearson said, “To back up the Stoke win against one of the big forces in English football is very satisfying.

Rodgers promises  Liverpool revival

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insisted results would improve after the Merseysiders suffered their third defeat in five Premier League matches this season with a 3-1 loss away to West Ham on Saturday.

“I am very fortunate that I have an honest group of players that know that sort of level is not what we expect,” said Rodgers. “We will, over the course of the season, get better and better.

“We were brilliant last season and the only thing I will say is that at this point last season, we weren’t playing to the level of the last three or four months.”

Meanwhile, Frank Lampard, Chelsea’s all-time record scorer, came on as a late substitute for Manchester City and scored their equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2014.

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