Manchester United, Leicester draw 2-2

Leicester : Manchester United will spend Christmas an eye-watering 13 points behind runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City after Harry Maguire secured Leicester a draw with a last-gasp goal.

Already reeling from their shock midweek Carabao Cup exit at Bristol City, the need for Jose Mourinho’s men to get back to winning ways was heightened by Pep Guardiola’s team racking up a 17th successive league win earlier in the day.

Juan Mata’s brace looked to have done just that as United responded to Jamie Vardy’s 50th Premier League goal, only for Maguire to strike at the death as 10-man Leicester secured a 2-2 draw.

It was a remarkable end to an entertaining encounter that United started brightly, only for the Foxes to catch them cold on the break as Vardy became the club’s first player to reach a half-century of Premier League goals.

Mata coolly drew United level and put them ahead with a second-half free-kick that the visitors threatened to add to, with Jesse Lingard hitting the post and Marcus Rashford seeing a penalty claim ignored as substitute Daniel Amartey saw red for two bookings in quick succession.

But United would receive a gut punch at the start of a run of four matches in 10 days as Maguire ghosted in to snatch a point.

Chris Smalling was limping as the Foxes levelled proceedings at the end of a night that started with the United defender powering a header just over.

Kasper Schmeichel did well to tip over a deflected Lingard attempt and then denied stand-in captain Paul Pogba, with Romelu Lukaku and Anthony Martial also attempting to find the opener.

Leicester were creating little early on and pinning their hopes on catching United on the break.

It was a simple plan that bore fruit in the 27th minute as Wilfred Ndidi turned defence into attack by aiming a superb -- if hopeful -- volleyed effort up the field to send Riyad Mahrez
scampering.

The Algerian had City’s first attempt on target shortly before and this time refrained from shooting, holding up the ball smartly to shake off Smalling’s attention and playing in the overlapping Vardy to fire home.

Phil Jones was out of position for the England striker’s milestone goal, which was swiftly followed by the King Power Stadium faithful chanting, “Just like Leicester, your city is blue.”