A BATTLE HARDENED musketeer from the lower divisions took Leicester City towards the quarter finals of the English League Cup last night after Manchester United, with next Wednesday's Champions League encounter with Rapid Vienna uppermost in their thoughts, had fielded a motley collection of spare parts and spear carriers at Filbert Street.

Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Peter Schmeichel and Nicky Butt were among those missing from United's team. Steve Claridge, however, did not miss as he put Leicester ahead late in the first half. Paul Scholes then lifted a penalty for United over the bar before Emile Heskey scored Leicester's second in the 77th minute, shooting on the turn after Spencer Prior had nodded down Mustafa Izzet's corner.

Leicester have reached as many Wembley finals as Manchester United during the last five years, albeit in the promotion play offs, and Martin O'Neill's side have impressed observers this time through their refusal to be typecast as Premier League doormats. Survival is their priority, but last night offered them a chance to add spice to their season.

With a decisive Champions League game just a week away, Alex Ferguson followed his now familiar habit of resting regular players for the League Cup, but that did not mean that Leicester needed only to turn up to win. Two years earlier a raw looking United team, including such little known names as Gary Neville, Beckham, Scholes and Butt, had dominated Newcastle United at St James' Park before losing to two plate goals.

Nevertheless a number of those Ferguson fielded last night would have gone incognito in the surrounding streets. Last night there were only two first team regulars - David May and Roy Keane - and five senior squad players - Brian McClair, Jordi Cruyff, Karel Poborsky, Scholes and Raimond Van der Gouw, the reserve goalkeeper. The remainder - Ben Thornley, John O'Kane, Casper and Michael Clegg - were there for the experience. McClair and Keane, stationed in central midfield for Manchester United, must have felt like schoolmasters on playground duty. However, this was not kids' stuff so far as the opposition were concerned, and soon the combination of Izzet's pace and Heskey's power was testing tested United on the flanks.

With little of consequence coming through to Scholes and Cruyff, initial responses were muted. Thornley was making slightly better progress on the left wing than was Poborsky on the right.

But for a series of predictable crosses and final passes, Leicester might have made more of their early territorial advantage. As it was, United absorbed the pressure with few qualms and the first damage in defence was suffered by Mike Whitlow, Leicester's left back, who was carried off midway through the first half with a twisted knee.

In the subsequent reshuffle Watts, the substitute, became a third centre back while Izzet moved to left wing back and Heskey adopted a more central role alongside Claridge.

Seven minutes before half time Heskey's additional presence up front played an important part in Leicester taking the lead. After Parker had chipped the ball forward Heskey produced a neat back heel to fool the defence and set up a chance for Claridge, which he accepted with a sharp first time shot.

Early in the second half Heskey's control let him down after he had beaten Manchester United's offside trap. In the 54th minute it looked as if Leicester would regret this lapse when Jamie Lawrence, who had just come on for Scott Taylor, held on to Keane as the pair challenged for a high ball and he conceded a penalty.

Scholes, however, was merciful, wafting his kick high over the bar and doing as much three minutes later after Terry Cooke, who had replaced Poborsky, set up the chance. Soon alter this Thornley and O'Kane gave way to Davies and Appleton, and Filbert Street resisted the temptation to sing Strangers in the Night.