Leicester let off the hook

The defeats of Aston Villa and Liverpool had sparked some anticipation that Leicester might knock over Manchester United too. But conquering Ben Nevis and K2 is one thing; Everest is another. Martin O'Neill's social climbers coped with the rarefied atmosphere for about 30 minutes on Saturday, during which time the pesky Emile Heskey let slip three glorious chances. But once United decided to wake up they proceeded more or less to control of the rest of the game.

Leicester's reputation as a team of limited resources reliant solely on the workrate of the players' legs and the manager's mouth is slightly harsh. In Muzzy Izzett and Heskey particularly, they also possess players willing to take the ball to the opposition with touch and invention.

But unless the proposed flotation at Filbert Street releases enough cash to strengthen the team further along these lines, O'Neill will always be relying for victory on the best teams having an off-day.

Once United got down to business on Saturday the game turned into a training session, with the champions playing attack and Leicester defence. By the end every blue shirt was roadblocking the penalty area in a breathless effort to salvage a point.

The reason United did not win was because, thankfully for O'Neill, they were not at their best.

The main wobble is up front where the absence through injury of Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has moved Alex Ferguson to try Jordi Cruyff and Teddy Sheringham. But the Dutchman limped off injured after just eight minutes and Paul Scholes proved a lightweight replacement against the shaven-headed might of Matt Elliott and Co.

The problem grew worse when Sheringham's increasingly desperate pursuit of Cantona's role took him deeper and deeper, at one time landing him on the halfway line. His absence from the forward line further blunted United's cutting edge and in the end Ryan Giggs was pushed across as a central striker.

The winger had already proved himself United's most threatening attacker, overshadowing David Beckham who, on his first start of the season, reeled off a few gilded passes but otherwise seemed unable to decide whether to play out wide or in the middle - a dilemma soon to face Glenn Hoddle.

Guardian Service

Leicester: Keller, Kaamark, Guppy, Elliott, Prior, Walsh, Izzet, Lennon, Heskey, Campbell (Savage 59), Marshall (Claridge 59). Subs not used: Andrews, Fenton, Parker.

Manchester Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin, Pallister, Beckham, Butt, Sheringham, Giggs, Keane, Cruyff (Scholes 8), Berg. Subs not used: P Neville, McClair, Van Der Gouw, Mulryne. Att: 21,221 Referee: D Gallagher (Banbury).