Manchester United vs Leicester City as it happened: Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw hand Jose Mourinho opening win
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World Cup winner Paul Pogba's third minute penalty and a late goal from Luke Shaw gave Manchester United a 2-1 win over Leicester City at Old Trafford in the opening game of the Premier League season on Friday.
Pogba, fresh from his triumph in Russia with France but also the subject of recent transfer speculation, was named captain by manager Jose Mourinho and took responsibility for the penalty after a handball by Daniel Amartey, slowly shuffling up before beating Kasper Schmeichel.
Leicester responded well though with new signing James Maddison forcing a fine save out of United keeper David De Gea as the visitors gave Mourinho's side plenty to think about.
But seven minutes from the end full-back Shaw scored his first goal in professional football, firing home after a exchange with Juan Mata.
Jamie Vardy pulled a goal back for Leicester in stoppage time to give them some reward for a good performance against last season's runners-up.
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When is Manchester United vs Leicester?
The match is tonight: Friday 10 August, with kick-off at 8pm at Old Trafford.
How can I watch it?
Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League will show the game live, with coverage beginning at 7pm.
Now TV will also be showing the match.
Team news
Both sides will make late decisions on whether to include their absent World Cup stars.
For Manchester United that means late assessments of Ashley Young, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford. Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo, Diogo Dalot, Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic are all injured.
Leicester will meanwhile decide whether to gamble on the fitness of Maguire and Vardy.
Odds
- United to win: 8/15
- Draw: 16/5
- Leicester to win: 6/1
Prediction
An entertaining 2-2 draw to get the season underway with a bang.
Good evening, and, *ahem*... IT'S BACK.
Finally, after a long and barren summer of sport, the Premier League returns.
To kick things off, Manchester United host Leicester City at Old Trafford.
Jose must adapt to new market
To kick things off, here's Jonathan Liew comparing the summer transfer window to being like buying a turkey, because why not?
Leicester's Harry Maguire
Manchester United's pursuit of a new central defender had them chasing Harry Maguire, Jerome Boateng, Diego Godin and Yerry Mina late in the transfer window. But why did United not sign anyone late in the window?
"We need to be fighting among the best"
Alexis Sanchez's first season, well half season, at Manchester United was far from what he showed he was capable of at Arsenal, something he puts down to not knowing his teammates.
In tonight's programme, he reveals he is past the 'learning period' and is ready to challenge Manchester City for the title after a long break. I can’t remember the last time I had a break and a long vacation,” the 29-year-old told United Review, the official matchday programme.
“It served me well to rest, to clear my head a little bit and get stronger for the season. “I’m already off to a great start. It’s been years since I’ve had a pre-season like this one, and I hope I'm in good shape to face Leicester.
"“The first four or five months were a learning period. Now I want to go all the way, I want to fight for everything. I am preparing myself mentally and physically to face all that lies ahead.
“Now that I know my team-mates, I can focus on what I want to win. I am here to demonstrate the quality I’m here for. The time has come for United to win more trophies. We need to be fighting among the best.”
“As Manchester United… as a big team,” he said. “Pressing forward, and with a desire to win – with the mindset that distinguishes United from others.
“United is a big team. Even though we have improved a lot, we need to keep improving. Now it is time to prove it, to fight for the top spots, and I think this is the season to do it.”
Schmeichel: confidence is key
"Obviously we want more than 40 points. We play a different style of football than we’ve done before. It’s all well and good doing it in training and friendly games, but doing it in the Premier League is a completely different kettle of fish.
“For us, it’s about having the confidence, belief and bravery to go out and play that way.”
The teams!
Manchester United: De Gea; Darmian, Bailly, Lindelof, Shaw; Fred, Pereira, Mata, Alexis, Rashford
Subs: Grant, Smalling, Young, Fellaini, McTominay, Martial, Lukaku
Leicester: Schmeichel; Amartey, Morgan, Maguire, Chilwell; Ndidi, Silva; Ricardo, Maddison, Gray; Iheanacho
Subs: Ward, Evans, Vardy, Albrighton, Iborra, Fuchs, Ghezzal
2 min: What a start. Manchester United attack down the left and when the ball is worked inside to Alexis Sanchez, he jabs a toe-poke at goal. It slams into Wes Morgan and for some reason Amartey decides to throw his arm at the riccochet. Penalty. Paul Pogba to take it.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Leicester City (Pogba, 3 min)
The World Cup winner stutters forwards and side-foots the ball high and right, out of Schmeichel's reach.
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