Manchester United clawed back from a goal down to beat Leicester City in a 2-1 fourth-round FA Cup victory on Friday at Old Trafford, thanks to a last-gasp header from veteran defender Harry Maguire plus a strike from Joshua Zirkzee.
The game appeared to be heading into extra time before Maguire headed in the winner in the 93rd minute from Bruno Fernandes' free kick, seconds before the final whistle. Replays showed he was offside, but VAR is not deployed in the first four rounds of the FA Cup.
The result handed United only their third win in their last eight games at Old Trafford across all competitions.
United were poor in the first half and Leicester capitalised in the 42nd minute when Wilfred Ndidi's shot was blocked by keeper Andre Onana but Bobby De Cordova-Reid was there to head in the rebound from close range.
Zirkzee levelled in the 68th minute when Rasmus Hojlund's effort was blocked by defender Caleb Okoli and the ball fell perfectly for Zirkzee to tap home just three minutes after he entered the game.
Manchester United vs Leicester City LIVE
- Man Utd host Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round | Live on ITV1
- Ruben Amorim hands debut to new signing Patrick Dorgu
- Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford after interim stint
- Man Utd: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Yoro, Mazraoui, Dorgu, Ugarte, Fernandes, Mainoo, Amad, Hojlund.
- Leicester: Hermansen, Justin, Okoli, Faes, Thomas, Soumare, Ndidi, El-Khannouss, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Daka.
- GOAL! Man Utd 0-1 Leicester (De Cordova-Reid, 42 min)
- GOAL! Man Utd 1-1 Leicester (Zirkzee, 68 min)
- GOAL! Man Utd 2-1 Leicester (Maguire, 90+3 min)
Manchester United FC 2 - 1 Leicester City FC
Amorim: 'A good result, not a good performance'
22:57 , Lawrence OstlereAnd I’ll leave you with Ruben Amorim’s verdict:
"We had to believe until the end but this game has nothing to do with the time of Fergie. I think the performance, we have to do so much better with the ball, without the ball.
"We didn't have any energy in the beginning, especially in the first-half. Then in the second half we played a little bit better, with a little more speed, winning second balls. Then we managed to turn things around so it was a good result not a good performance.
"The coach is the first responsible, when one team doesn't perform, doesn't improve, it is the coach but we are here to do things and to see the game, to study the game and try to improve for the next game.
"I think it's the small things, if you see the games sometimes it's to control the ball, to have the ball, don't give the ball away in the first pressure. It's the small things, it's the big things, it's everything.
"It's this moment, it's hard away but especially at home but we have to cope with that and we will try to do it next game."
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/22/07/FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-q9yl5pw4.jpeg)
Van Nistelrooy: Offside decision was 'hard to swallow'
22:43 , Lawrence OstlereLeicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy tells ITV: "We were not defeated in ‘Fergie time’, we were defeated in ‘offside time’.
"This wasn't necessary. VAR, you have in a couple centimetres, a couple of inches; this was half a metre. That was a hard one to take because the team deserves to draw in the end. Then extra time, stay in the game, you never know what happens.
"It was a very good team performance, we started really well, pressing United. On the ball very stable. Deserved to go 1-0 up at half-time. Of course we know in the second half they're going to put some pressure on us and some chances but not even that much.
"We deserved to go into extra time, go for the battle in extra time and maybe penalties.
"Decisions like these in our level are hard to swallow."
Maguire’s luck and Garnacho’s skill save Amorim from more Man Utd misery
22:29 , Richard Jolly at Old TraffordFor swathes of the last six years, Leicester City could savour the thought of Harry Maguire and Manchester United. Not here, however, and not in injury time. Maguire had been a fine servant to Leicester but they banked a world-record fee for a centre-back, some £80m, when they sold him to United in 2019. Maguire’s Old Trafford career has not always proceeded swimmingly, but on a night when they looked like drowning in their own incompetence, he instead turned rescuer.
A 93rd-minute header took the holders into the FA Cup fifth round in dramatic fashion; controversial, too, given that Maguire – and three of his teammates – had looked suspiciously offside when he ran on to Bruno Fernandes’s deep free-kick to plant an emphatic header in. Amid scenes of bedlam, with no VAR to spare Leicester, United’s act of escapology was complete.
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/22/31/Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Emirates-FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-mfmcujij.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800)
Maguire’s luck and Garnacho’s skill save Amorim from more Man Utd misery
Match-winner Harry Maguire speaks
22:11 , Lawrence Ostlere"A great finish to the game. The second half we played a lot better. The first-half was nowhere near good enough, we played at a slow tempo and we didn't really get going. We probably deserved to go into half-time losing.”
On Garnacho’s second-half display: “He made a big impact, he always does that when he comes off the bench, so credit to him, he's ready, he's focused. We knew at half-time he'd bring a little more direct and pace into the team. But Joshua Zirkzee also came on and I thought he made a big difference.”
Full-time: Man Utd 2-1 Leicester
22:07Roy Keane was scathing of United’s performance in the first half, calling them “boring”. He is a little more positive about the second, but still doesn’t seem particularly impressed.
"The linesman has to see it [Maguire being offside]. United got out of jail tonight. The performance itself was nowhere near good enough."
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/21/02/Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Emirates-FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-t3bh5bw0.jpeg?trim=158%2C563%2C1864%2C2470)
Full-time: Man Utd 2-1 Leicester
21:55 , Lawrence OstlereAnd that is that. Alejandro Garnacho was the game-changer, coming off the bench at half-time. United were awful in the first half and not much better for early parts of the second, but eventually they found some urgency and pinned Leicester back. Even so, that was a cruel way for the Foxes to go out of the FA Cup.
Man Utd 2-1 Leicester
21:54 , Lawrence OstlereIt was offside, quite clearly, but there is no VAR in the FA Cup. That’s so tough on Leicester.
GOAL! Man Utd 2-1 Leicester (Maguire, 90+3 min)
21:51 , Lawrence OstlereUnited have done it! Bruno Fernandes launches a last-ditch free-kick into the box and there’s Harry Maguire at the far post to head it across goal and into the far corner.
Heartbreak for Leicester.
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/22/00/Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Emirates-FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-3fd1m5l6.jpeg?trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0)
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Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
21:47 , Lawrence Ostlere90 min: United are playing with an urgency and tempo that was badly missing in the first half. Zirkzee races back to win the ball from a Leicester midfielder and they are quickly back on the attack searching for this winner.
Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
21:46 , Lawrence Ostlere87 min: United look like the only team likely to score in these final few minutes, but they are struggling to create anything clear-cut against a deep-set Leicester defence. Garnacho wriggles along the box and shoots low, but it’s well held by Hermansen.
Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
21:44 , Lawrence Ostlere84 min: Yoro takes the ball towards the byline and wins a corner for United. The Stretford End roars as Bruno prepares to swing in the set-piece... which Hermansen punches away for another corner.
Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
21:42 , Lawrence Ostlere81 min: Ugarte is booked for a late challenge.
Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
21:38 , Lawrence Ostlere78 min: Oh, what a terrible finish! Garnacho plays a wonderful one-two with Dalot on the edge of the box and suddenly he’s in on goal down the left side. He pretends to go across goal before wrapping his foot around the ball with an effort towards the near post, but drags it horribly wide.
That should have been 2-1.
Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
21:34 , Lawrence Ostlere74 min: United keep on coming, mostly through the excellent Garnacho, who is shut down this time by Justin on the byline.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid has been replaced by Kasey McAteer, who may offer a bit more protection on that side against Garnacho.
Man Utd 1-1 Leicester
21:33 , Lawrence OstlereThat Zirkzee moment:
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/21/05/Joshua-Zirkzee-taps-home-Manchester-Uniteds-equaliser-75wk30s3.jpeg?trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0)
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/21/57/FBL-ENG-FA-CUP-MAN-UTD-LEICESTER-tjatwi1z.jpeg)
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/21/23/Zirkzee-grabs-the-ball-after-scoring-Man-Utds-equaliser-om3vwijd.jpeg?trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0)
'This is Zirkzee's competition'
21:29 , Richard Jolly at Old TraffordPerhaps the FA Cup is Joshua Zirkzee's competition. After the winning penalty in the shootout against Arsenal comes an equaliser, a few minutes after his introduction. But the instigator was Alejandro Garnacho, and he has brought a spark. It took an astonishing goalline clearance from Caleb Okoli to stop him from scoring.
GOAL! Man Utd 1-1 Leicester (Zirkzee, 68 min)
21:27 , Lawrence OstlereGarnacho drives at Leicester’s defence again and drills a low cross from the left. Hojlund tries to Cruyff-turn it home, it’s blocked, and Joshua Zirkzee is on hand to tap home the rebound!
Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
21:25 , Lawrence Ostlere65 min: Brilliant from United – yes, really – as Ugarte bursts through the middle of the pitch before feeding Garnacho running in behind. Garnacho dithers for a moment and when he finally shoots, it’s deflected over the Leicester keeper and towards goal, and the winger thinks he’s scored. But Okoli steams back on to his own goal line and smashes the ball against his bar and clear! A fantastic clearance, that.
Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
21:21 , Lawrence Ostlere62 min: Another change by Amorim, as Joshua Zirkzee replaces Kobbie Mainoo.
Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
21:19 , Lawrence Ostlere59 min: Mainoo links with Amad down the right and collects a pass, but he’s dispossessed easily by Okoli.
'An awful debut'
21:17 , Richard Jolly at Old TraffordAn awful Manchester United debut for Patrick Dorgu, but a lot of the fault for that lies with Ruben Amorim for picking him out of position. It may have been fairer to move him to the left in the second half, rather than taking him off, but Dorgu is gone. It is also notable that Mazraoui and Leny Yoro have swapped so the Frenchman is now on the left of the back three.
Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
21:14 , Lawrence Ostlere53 min: Garnacho gets on the ball and zips down the left wing before crossing. It’s cleared, and then Bruno’s shot is blocked. Better, and the United fans roar.
Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
21:11 , Lawrence Ostlere50 min: Mazraoui concedes a foul throw after chucking the ball almost straight downwards. Shambolic stuff.
Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
21:08 , Lawrence Ostlere48 min: Bruno pinches the ball and feeds Amad on the right, but Thomas quickly shuts him down. El-Khannouss takes it up the other end and shoots, but it’s wide.
Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
21:05 , Lawrence Ostlere46 min: We are back underway and United have made a change – Dorgu is replaced by Garnacho. A tough baptism for the new signing, who did OK, I thought.
Roy Keane: 'United are boring'
21:00 , Lawrence OstlereIt’s safe to say Roy Keane was not impressed with that first-half performance.
Speaking on ITV, the former United captain said: “They’re boring now. You feel like going into the dressing room and reminding them what the game’s about – ‘there’s a goal at that end and you need to get the ball in it to score’. It’s as if they’re not even aware of it. Leicester haven’t been that great, they’ve done OK.
“United aren’t even getting the basics right. Sloppy, trying to beat people 25 yards from their own goal, people not staying with their runners.
“From United’s point of view, my godness, is this what it’s come to? We know their record’s poor, but we’re coming here tonight and looking at it going, ‘surely there’ll be a reaction, surely they’ll have enthusiasm and energy for the game’. They don’t even seem to have that.
“I bet Leicester can’t believe how easy it is.”
On new signing Patrick Dorgu, who is left footed but playing on the right side tonight: “He’s playing right wing-back. You think it’s unfair on certain players.“
Half-time: Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
20:52 , Lawrence OstlereThe only goal of the half, and just about the only taking point too:
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/20/50/Leicesters-Bobby-Decordova-Reid-568zvpfn.jpeg)
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Half-time: Man Utd 0-1 Leicester
20:48 , Lawrence OstlereBoos ring out around Old Trafford.
GOAL! Man Utd 0-1 Leicester (De Cordova-Reid, 42 min)
20:43 , Lawrence OstlereLeicester strike! Ugarte is tackled by Soumare on United’s right touchline, and Leicester work it quickly to Ndidi on the edge of the box. His shot is saved by Onana but Bobby De Cordova-Reid is in the perfect place to nod the rebound home from a couple of yards.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:41 , Lawrence Ostlere38 min: I’m not convinced the inverted wing-backs is working particularly well so far. Amad and Dorgu are effectively trying to do the same thing on the right wing, cutting inside on to their left foot. On the left side, Dalot has got into a couple of good positions before checking back on to his favoured right foot and losing momentum.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:3935 min: Dorgu takes on Thomas down United’s right and the defender does well to block the debutant’s cross. Amad’s corner is excellent, whipped under the crossbar, and it’s almost spilled into his own goal by Hermansen under pressure from Maguire, but the keeper manages to catch it on his line.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:34 , Lawrence Ostlere33 min: It’s a wicked delivery into the six-yard box by Thomas, which Mazraoui just about manages to get clear.
United break quickly with Amad on the right, who finds Mainoo arriving in the box, but he can’t get a shot off before being surrounded by blue shirts and mugged of the ball.
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/20/07/Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Emirates-FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-lx7oz7x6.jpeg?trim=0%2C1%2C0%2C0)
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:31 , Lawrence Ostlere31 min: Delicious cross from Thomas on the left side, which United’s defenders scramble clear. Corner.
'United lack creativity'
20:31 , Richard Jolly at Old TraffordA reasonably open affair but without many chances, which is an indication of United's lack of creativity. So far, Kobbie Mainoo has had a negligible impact as a No 10 after the experiment with him as a false nine was jettisoned after the disastrous game against Crystal Palace. The recalled Hojlund hasn't had much service yet. Dorgu has looked a left-footer on the right flank.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:30 , Lawrence Ostlere29 min: Dorgu is enjoying himself, with a nutmeg and then, a few moments later, a first-time neat flick to a teammate. Although neither came to much, he does look full of confidence.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:27 , Lawrence Ostlere26 min: Leicester make their first foray forwards for some time, but it ends with Luke Thomas passing the ball off the pitch. A moment later Ayew feeds De Cordova-Reid racing down the right side of the box, whose shot flashes over the bar.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:2423 min: The corner is met with a headed clearance which United recycle via Amad, to Dorgu, whose first-time right-footed shot flies just over the bar from the edge of the box.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:22 , Lawrence Ostlere21 min: Bruno slides the free-kick cleverly to the edge of the box for Amad, unmarked, who shoots, but it’s blocked and sails away for a corner.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:21 , Lawrence Ostlere20 min: Excellent from Hojlund, who leads a counterattack with quick feet to get away from two close defenders before passing right to Amad. United work it to Dorgu, who is tripped, and they will have a free-kick on the right side of the box.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:19 , Lawrence Ostlere17 min: Dorgu’s first explosion of pace, as he charges down the right after Thomas missed an interception and left an acre of space behind him. Dorgu takes a moment on the edge of the box before trying to pass to an arriving teammate, but it’s cut out and cleared for a corner. He perhaps should have done a little better with what was a good opportunity, but United fans will be encouraged by the speed and intent.
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/20/15/Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Emirates-FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-c8juokmi.jpeg)
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:17 , Lawrence Ostlere15 min: No big chances yet, and yet there is a sense that either side could make a fatal mistake at any moment. They both look more confident pressing than passing...
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:14 , Lawrence Ostlere12 min: Leicester are pressing high up the pitch and United are struggling to deal with it. Mainoo is the latest player hustled off the ball, by Justin, and concedes a free-kick in a promising position to deliver from the right. It’s swung in and United clear the danger.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:11 , Lawrence Ostlere9 min: Ugarte floats a cross towards the far post but it’s headed up in the air by a defender in blue and then caught by Hermansen.
'Dorgu's starting position feels illogical'
20:09 , Richard Jolly at Old TraffordA better start for Leicester than last week, which isn't saying much after they conceded in the 11th second at Everton. An unexpected start from United in one respect: Dorgu has begun at right wing-back. Which, while he can play there, feels illogical, with Diogo Dalot on the left instead. Meanwhile, Noussair Mazraoui has taken the spot of the injured Lisandro Martinez on the left of the back three.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:08 , Lawrence Ostlere5 min: Leicester have started brightly here, putting pressure on United in midfield and winning a couple of early turnovers. One quickly turns into a counterattack with a throughball to Daka, who holds it up and sets up Ayew to shoot, but it’s straight at Onana from outside the box.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:05 , Lawrence Ostlere3 min: United are lining up with Mainoo and Amad as the attacking two midfielders, and Bruno paired with Ugarte deeper. Mazraoui is meanwhile on the left of a back three, with Maguire in the middle and Yoro on the right.
Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:03 , Lawrence Ostlere2 min: Dorgu’s first involvement is to hack down Soumare with a pretty ugly tackle. No booking, but not a great challenge.
Dorgu has started on the right side, with Dalot on the left.
Kick-off! Man Utd 0-0 Leicester
20:01 , Lawrence OstlereManuel Ugarte gets the game underway with a pass back to Andre Onana, who boots it upfield.
Man Utd v Leicester
19:58 , Lawrence OstlereThe players are trotting out on to the pitch – kick-off is moments away.
Man Utd v Leicester
19:54 , Lawrence OstlereA few images from the build-up, with just a few minutes to kick-off at Old Trafford:
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/19/40/Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Emirates-FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-ccie9emv.jpeg)
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/19/20/FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-k1mrz5pr.jpeg?trim=0%2C56%2C0%2C56)
Ruben Amorim: Dorgu will be nervous but he's a talent
19:50 , Lawrence OstlereThe Manchester United manager speaks about Patrick Dorgu after handing the 20-year-old his debut tonight:
“He needs to start playing. He did very well this week [in training]. We need wingers, even the left foot sometimes on the opposite side, it’s really important for the way we see the game. He will be a bit nervous and play simple at first, but he’s a talented kid.”
'An actual left-footed left wing-back'
19:44 , Richard Jolly at Old TraffordA first outing for Ruben Amorim's first major signing as Patrick Dorgu starts; an actual left-footed left wing-back for a manager who insists on playing wing-backs. Another new recruit, Ayden Heaven, is on the bench, along with Hubert Graczyk, who is perhaps United's fifth-choice goalkeeper, but involved because of injuries to others. United must hope Andre Onana doesn't get injured. As United's strikers are short of goals, a man with 150 United goals returns to Old Trafford, with Ruud van Nistelrooy back. He has beaten Leicester twice this season as United's caretaker manager.
Hojlund returns to starting XI to lead United's line
19:39 , Lawrence OstlereThe return of Rasmus Hojlund to the starting XI will be a welcome sight for Manchester United fans tonight, after the failed experiment with Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine against Crystal Palace on the weekend.
United clearly need a focal point, and even if Ruben Amorim doesn’t have great faith in the strikers at his disposal, it is surely part of his job to coach the best out of those he has rather than play none at all. Hojlund starts, with Joshua Zirkzee on the bench, while Alejandro Garnacho is another attacking option in reserve tonight.
Presumably Mainoo will play alongside Manuel Ugarte in midfield, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo ahead of them supporting Hojlund. Let’s see how they shape up at kick-off.
Amorim: Everyone at United is fighting for their jobs
19:31 , Lawrence OstlereAmorim also admitted United have taken a risk with their transfer business and that everyone is "fighting" for their jobs until the summer.
United languish 13th in the Premier League after losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace last weekend, when Amorim said the club were "trying everything" to make improvements before Monday's transfer deadline.
But nothing materialised despite the glaring need for goals, leaving the side looking short as they look to get back to winning ways against Leicester in tonight’s FA Cup fourth-round tie.
"What I feel is the club is taking its time," Amorim said. "We know the urgency of the moment, the moment of the team.
"But I think everybody here doesn't want to make some mistakes that we did in past, so we have to improve players we have and to win some games.
"Then in summer we will see but, like I said, we are being really careful with transfers because we did some mistakes in the past."
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/19/32/Manchester-United-v-Leicester-City-Emirates-FA-Cup-Fourth-Round-usgnmpv4.jpeg)
Ruben Amorim felt Marcus Rashford was unable to adapt to the way he wanted to play and train after taking the decision to let the homegrown Manchester United forward leave Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old played in the Portuguese's first six matches but was dropped for the Manchester derby in mid-December, after which the England international revealed he was ready for a new challenge.
Rashford did not play for United again following the Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen on December 12 and ended seven speculation-filled weeks on the sidelines by joining Aston Villa on loan.
That deal includes an option to make the move permanent for a reported £40million - a price tag that underlines the drop off since signing a new, big-money deal just 18 months ago.
"I couldn't put Marcus to see the way you're supposed to play football and to train the way I see it," Amorim said.
"And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.
"I just wish the best to Rashford and to Unai Emery, and they can connect because he's a very good player."
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/06/14/65c725947b0b6f95adee21925e4f04c4Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM4OTM3OTMw-2.78592377.jpg)
Fifteen-year-old Monga a 'big talent', says Van Nistelrooy
19:17 , Lawrence OstlereMonga is so young he has to get changed separately from the rest of the squad due to safeguarding rules. He has been playing well for the Under-21s and is considered a major talent for the future.
Van Nistelrooy said this week: “We feel Jeremy is ready for this and of course there’s still a long way to go. We have evaluated his progress and, from last week onwards, he will be part of regular first-team training until the end of the season.
“It’s clear he is a big talent, but we cannot go too quickly with a young boy like that.”
![](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/07/19/18/GettyImages-2167975162.jpg?trim=0%2C4%2C0%2C2)
Leicester City team news
19:14 , Lawrence OstlereRuud van Nistelrooy makes four changes to his team, bringing in centre-half Caleb Okoli, left-back Luke Thomas, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi – back after two months with a hamstring injury – and striker Patson Daka.
Jannik Vestergaard, Victor Kristiansen and Jamie Vardy are all missing, presumably injured, while Harry Winks drops to the bench. He’s joined there by 15-year-old winger Jeremy Monga, who is very highly thought of at the club.
Manchester United team news
19:09So Dorgu is in from the off, presumably playing at left wing-back, with Diogo Dalot on the right side. It looks to be just about as strong a side as Ruben Amorim can field right now, which shows just how much he values an FA Cup run. There is not much left to play for in the Premier League, of course...
Man Utd v Leicester: Confirmed line-ups
19:03 , Lawrence OstlereManchester United XI: Onana, Dalot, Maguire, Yoro, Mazraoui, Dorgu, Ugarte, Fernandes, Mainoo, Amad, Hojlund.
Subs: Graczyk, Lindelof, De Ligt, Heaven, Casemiro, Eriksen, Collyer, Garnacho, Zirkzee.
Leicester City XI: Hermansen, Justin, Okoli, Faes, Thomas, Soumare, Ndidi, El-Khannouss, De Cordova-Reid, Ayew, Daka.
Subs: Stolarczyk, Coulibaly, Coady, Winks, Skipp, Buonanotte, McAteer, Monga, Mavididi.
Patrick Dorgu starts!
19:01 , Lawrence OstlereRuben Amorim does indeed hand a debut to Patrick Dorgu from the start tonight. Full teams coming right up...
Man Utd v Leicester
18:49 , Lawrence OstlereThe Manchester United players getting ready for tonight’s FA Cup tie:
Inside the home dressing room 🔴🚪#MUFC || #FACup pic.twitter.com/ic25QJ2YtA
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 7, 2025
Man Utd v Leicester – team news
18:42 , Lawrence OstlereThe two line-ups will drop shortly.
Manchester United are without Lisandro Martinez who has ruptured his ACL and will be a long-term absentee. Luke Shaw has also had a setback and won’t be rushed back into action. Jonny Evans is set to miss out on a reunion with his former club, and Mason Mount is also recovering from injury.
New signings Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven are both available and eligible to be selected.
For Leicester, Wilfred Ndidi returns from injury and Ruud van Nistelrooy has hinted at alterations to his squad for his return to Old Trafford. Teenagers Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans are expected to form part of the matchday squad.
Abdul Fatawu and Ricardo Pereira are still on the sidelines.
“There are two or three with light injuries, who are doubtful tomorrow. We'll see when we announce the squad,” said Van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy accepts reality of Leicester's transfer window
18:29 , Lawrence OstlereLeicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy said he must deal with the reality of the club's lack of transfer window activity as he prepares to head back to Manchester United for tonight’s FA Cup fourth round at Old Trafford.
Leicester are third from bottom, two points off the safety zone, and made one signing in the window, spending £3m on centre back Woyo Coulibaly from Parma.
Premier League rules say clubs cannot register more than two on-loan players at any one time and Leicester already have midfielder Facundo Buonanotte from Brighton & Hove Albion and forward Odsonne Edouard from Crystal Palace.
"When you strengthen the team, your chances will improve, there's no doubt about that," Van Nistelrooy said of the club's failure to deliver many reinforcements in January when talking to reporters on Thursday.
"But the means were not there to do so. It wasn't possible. Also the loans were blocked because we have two players. The disappointment is that two loans are not having the minutes so they're not strengthening the team. We looked at foreign loans."
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Three things new signing Patrick Dorgu will bring to Man Utd
18:12 , Lawrence OstlereHere’s a closer look at Dorgu, the 20-year-old Danish defender signed from Italian club Lecce in a £30m transfer, who has the profile to shine in Amorim’s 3-4-3 system:
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Three things Man Utd’s new signing Patrick Dorgu will bring to Old Trafford
Amorim: 'Dorgu needs time but quality is there'
17:56 , Lawrence Ostlere“He has to integrate really fast because we lose some players on loan in this moment,” Amorim told the Man Utd website this week.
“We want to build a different team. We start with these different kinds of players like Dorgu. He’s a young player, of course he’s going to need time because this is a different level, a different league, but the physicality is there, the quality is there and he can play both sides.
“That is important, to cope whether we want to play on the left or the right, that is really important for us. He’s a talented, hungry guy, and that is the profile we’re looking for.”
Dorgu and Heaven in line for Man Utd debuts
17:39 , Lawrence OstlereManchester United made two signings late in the transfer window, and both players could feature tonight.
Denmark international Patrick Dorgu signed from Lecce, and the 20-year-old could come straight into the side in one of the wing-back roles.
The 18-year-old Ayden Heaven meanwhile joined from Arsenal, and the left-footed centre-back could also start the game, particuarly given the ACL injury to Lisandro Martinez which was confirmed this week.
Both players “are ready to play and they are two more solutions to help us in this moment,” Ruben Amorim said this week.
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How to watch Man Utd v Leicester
17:25 , Lawrence OstlereThe FA Cup fixture will kick off at 8pm GMT tonight at Old Trafford.
This fixture will be shown free-to-air on ITV 1 in the UK, with subscribers also able to watch online via ITVX. Coverage begins at 7.30pm.
Man Utd v Leicester – team news
17:22 , Lawrence OstlereThe two line-ups will drop shortly.
Manchester United are without Lisandro Martinez who has ruptured his ACL and will be a long-term absentee. Luke Shaw has also had a setback and won’t be rushed back into action. Jonny Evans is set to miss out on a reunion with his former club, and Mason Mount is also recovering from injury.
New signings Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven are both available and eligible to be selected.
For Leicester, Wilfred Ndidi returns from injury and Ruud van Nistelrooy has hinted at alterations to his squad for his return to Old Trafford. Teenagers Jeremy Monga and Jake Evans are expected to form part of the matchday squad.
Abdul Fatawu and Ricardo Pereira are still on the sidelines.
“There are two or three with light injuries, who are doubtful tomorrow. We'll see when we announce the squad,” said Van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford to face successor Amorim
17:09 , Lawrence OstlereThis will be Leicester's third visit to Old Trafford this season, with Van Nistelrooy in caretaker charge of United's Premier League and Carabao Cup wins against the club that now employs him.
Both he and Ten Hag have better records in the United dugout this season than Amorim, who dismissed the suggestion that was an uncomfortable statistic.
"It's not awkward and I think it's normal," the Portuguese said. "He knew the team, he worked with the team. I made some decisions that are really hard, to sometimes create problems, friction in the team.
"Everything in the schedule that you don't have time to train, to know the person. It's really hard because I'm a really proud guy, but I take this normally.
"They were better than me in training this team, so I'm trying to help them to see the game the way I see, to improve the performance, and also the results."
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Van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford to face successor Amorim
16:54 , Lawrence OstlereAsked about the potential benefit of having somebody that knows United like Van Nistelrooy, the head coach said: "The most important thing to have as a coach is a staff who understand the way you want to play, the standards you have.
"When I say standards, I am not saying Ruud don't have these standards - he was a legend of this club, he knows what it takes to win.
"But I prefer to work with a team that brought me here. It's clear that is important for me, to explain the same thing to the players, so it was that decision.
"I'm really comfortable and confident that I know how to win, no matter the club...of course we are losing and in the moment you need experienced guys, but I'm not lost, or I feel a of something in the staff. We just need to improve as a team."
Van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford to face successor Amorim
16:40 , Lawrence Ostlere"It was not a difficult situation because it was so clear for me, I just had to explain," Amorim said. "I think it's really simple and he understands. He is a man of football, he understands this situation.
"I have my team and my staff. I could keep Ruud because it was a good thing for me, a popular thing to do.
"But I will not put Ruud in front of my guys, no matter what, and then I had to put a person like Ruud in the end on the hierarchy on my staff, and I think that was not fair on Ruud.
"To show respect to Ruud I was really clear with him and I explained that I have my team, I will continue the same way and I will not put a guy like Ruud, a legend of this club, in the end of the hierarchy in the staff.
"So, it was the clear decision, really simple to explain and he took it like a class guy as he is."
Van Nistelrooy returns to Old Trafford to face successor Amorim
16:28 , Lawrence OstlereThere is of course the slightly awkward sub-plot to this game, that Ruben Amorim chose not to keep Ruud van Nistelrooy on at United after taking charge.
The popular former striker returned to Old Trafford in the summer as an assistant coach and stepped in as caretaker manager after Erik ten Hag was sacked in late October.
Van Nistelrooy oversaw three wins and a draw before handing over to new boss Amorim, who decided to bring his own coaching staff rather than retain the United fan favourite.
The Dutchman had wanted to stay and was swiftly appointed manager at Leicester City.
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Man Utd v Leicester
16:09 , Lawrence OstlereRuben Amorim and Manchester United are in need of a positive result. The Red Devils have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and are in disarray in the Premier League, leaving the Europa League and the FA Cup as their only chances of picking up silverware this season.
United’s penalty shootout victory over Arsenal in the previous round was a confidence boost for Amorim’s shaky side but back-to-back defeats in the league has left them on unsteady footing ahead of this potentially tricky tie. Marcus Rashford has been sent away to Aston Villa and, with the remaining forwards all struggling for goals, Amorim may need to come up with a creative solution to secure the win.
But Leicester are in poor form too. They won just once in four matches since a 6-2 demolition of QPR in the previous round and shipping four goals against Everton last time out leaves Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side in a vulnerable position.
Man Utd v Leicester – live
16:06 , Lawrence OstlereWelcome along to live coverage of Manchester United v Leicester City in the FA Cup