Man Utd vs Leicester Match Preview: Classic, Key Battles, Team News & More

Manchester United and Leicester City will go head to head at Old Trafford this weekend in Saturday evening's Premier League kick-off.

Both teams have enjoyed a positive start to the new season, with managers Jose Mourinho and Craig Shakespeare each getting a good response from their respective squads.

Classic Encounter

The last time Manchester United and Leicester met in a league game in August was all the way back in 1998 at the start of the former's famous treble winning season.

As would become a theme during the course of that campaign, it took two late goals from United to rescue a point at Old Trafford after goals from Emile Heskey and Tony Cottee in the 7th and 76th minutes respectively had given the visitors an unlikely two-goal lead.

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Teddy Sheringham deflected a David Beckham shot into the net to pull one back with 11 minutes left to play, while Beckham himself converted a free-kick in stoppage time to make it 2-2.

Key Battles

Wes Morgan vs Romelu Lukaku

Wes Morgan is the more likely of Leicester's centre-back worries to start and will need to be sharp to keep Romelu Lukaku under control. The Belgian has scored three times in two Premier League appearances since his £75m summer move and won't need an invitation to add to it.

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Paul Pogba vs Wilfred Ndidi

Paul Pogba will be keen to escape the attentions of Leicester's Wilfred Ndidi in midfield. If he can do, the Frenchman should be able to exert huge influence on the game. But if Ndidi can stick with him and stifle the former Juventus star, things might go in Leicester's favour.

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Team News

Man Utd: United's only injury absences remain Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Luke Shaw, Ashley Young and Marcos Rojo, all of whom are making progress in their respective recoveries. Both Shaw and Young featured for the club's Under-23 team this week, while Rojo is now back in light training.

Mourinho's biggest selection headache will come over whether he starts Anthony Martial.

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Leicester: For Shakespeare and the Foxes there are a number of worries. A late decision will be made on Wes Morgan and Harry Maguire, while Danny Drinkwater remains a slight doubt despite training. Caution is also expected to be exercised with Kelechi Iheanacho after injury.

Vicente Iborra and Robert Huth are both set to miss out.

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Predicted Lineups

Man Utd (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Valencia (c), Bailly, Jones, Blind; Matic, Pogba; Rashford, Mkhitaryan, Martial; Lukaku

Leicester (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan (c), Maguire, Fuchs; Mahrez, James, Ndidi, Albrighton; Okazaki, Vardy

Prediction

It would be a tall ask for United to score four for the third straight game, but Leicester's defence has shown that it can be breached after giving up a late lead against Arsenal on opening night. That could be worsened if Morgan and/or Maguire are not deemed fit enough.

At the same time, the Foxes have shown they can scored goals of their own and will provide the strongest test United's back four have faced so far.

Manchester United 3-1 Leicester City