In a thrilling encounter at Old Trafford on 30 October 2024, Leicester City faced Manchester United in a cup away match that ended with a scoreline of 5-2 in favour of the hosts. The match kicked off at 7:45 PM, with an impressive attendance of 73,470 fans witnessing the action unfold.
Leicester City lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for attacking flair. Danny Ward took his place in goal, shielded by a back four consisting of James Justin on the right, Conor Coady and Caleb Okoli in central defence, and Luke Thomas on the left. In midfield, Oliver Skipp and Boubakary Soumare operated as the double pivot, tasked with breaking up play and distributing the ball to the attacking trio. Bobby De Cordova-Reid occupied the right attacking midfield position, while Kasey McAteer was stationed on the left, with Bilal El Khannouss playing centrally behind striker Jordan Ayew.
The substitutes for Leicester included Jannik Vestergaard, Will Alves, Odsonne Edouard, Stephy Mavididi, and Facundo Buonanotte, providing options for tactical changes as the match progressed.
The match began with Manchester United asserting their dominance early on, and it took just 15 minutes for them to break the deadlock with a stunning long-range effort that left Ward with no chance. Leicester struggled to regain their composure, and just five minutes later, Caleb Okoli received a yellow card for a bad tackle, further complicating their defensive efforts.
As the first half unfolded, United doubled their lead in the 28th minute, scoring from inside the box after a well-worked move. However, Leicester responded positively, with Bilal El Khannouss finding the net in the 33rd minute from a set piece, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, that hope was short-lived as United struck again with a direct free-kick in the 36th minute, followed by a goal from a goalmouth scramble just three minutes later, pushing the score to 4-1.
Just before the half-time whistle, Leicester managed to pull one back when Conor Coady scored from another set piece, leaving the score at 4-2 as the teams headed into the break.
The second half began with Leicester looking to build on their momentum, but disaster struck in the 59th minute when Caleb Okoli made a misplaced pass that led to another goal for United, extending their lead to 5-2. This prompted a series of substitutions for Leicester as they sought to change the course of the match. Jannik Vestergaard replaced Okoli in the 71st minute, followed by a flurry of changes in the 72nd minute, with Will Alves coming on for El Khannouss, Odsonne Edouard replacing Ayew, Stephy Mavididi taking over from McAteer, and Facundo Buonanotte stepping in for De Cordova-Reid.
Despite their efforts, Leicester struggled to find a way back into the game, with United comfortably managing their lead. The match concluded with Leicester City unable to overcome the deficit, succumbing to a disappointing 5-2 defeat. Bilal El Khannouss was recognised for his performance, earning the title of Player of the Match amidst a challenging outing for the Foxes.
