The game chap who ran round the pitch before kick-off as part of his charity tour of all 20 Premiership clubs need not bother with Leicester next season.

Instead it will be the likes of Crewe and Rotherham who will be running out at Leicester's brand spanking new Walkers Bowl stadium.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer put Leicester out of their misery when he scored the only goal at Filbert Street to end the Foxes' eventful six-year stint in the Premiership.

In many ways the defeat summed up Leicester's woeful season and they failed to take their chances while they defended poorly for Solskjaer's goal on 61 minutes.

The game also marked the end of Dave Bassett's brief and unsuccessful reign as Leicester manager and he had been presented with a cut-glass vase by Sir Alex Ferguson to mark his 1,000 games as a coach.

Leicester brought in Bassett back in October after sacking Peter Taylor in the hope he could stave off relegation.

However if anything Leicester's decline accelerated under Bassett and he managed just four wins in his 28 games.

In all Leicester's record this season makes dismal reading. They have recorded the fewest wins in the league - just four; the fewest points - 22; and the fewest goals - just 19. Indeed Solskjaer has managed more.

Muzzy Izzet had missed this fateful day for Leicester with a hamstring injury, while Callum Davidson had returned after recovering from the same problem.

United once again demonstrated the depth of their vast squad and they made six changes with one eye on Wednesday's Champions League return with Deportivo La Coruna.

In addition to the injured trio of Roy Keane, David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron, Fabien Barthez, Ronny Johnsen, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ryan Giggs did not start.

Instead Sir Alex Ferguson gave a run-out to Solskjaer, Roy Carroll, Denis Irwin, Phil Neville, Diego Forlan and Quinton Fortune.

Leicester knew before the game they were doomed and they went out with the attitude that if they were going to be relegated in Bassett's final match, they at least wanted to go out with a bang.

Their start matched the bright, sunny conditions and Carroll saved an early close-range shot from Brian Deane before Paul Dickov knocked an overhead kick wide.

Carroll then blocked a right-foot shot from Dickov, who will be passing his old club Manchester City coming up as he heads back to the First Division.

Ian Walker then denied Paul Scholes before the United midfielder fired just over the top following great work by Forlan, who teed him up after a surging run and a one-two with Solskjaer.

Leicester's best chances continued to fall to Dickov and the little Scottish striker knows he should have done better five minutes before the interval.

Stefan Oakes floated a free-kick to the right, where Gary Rowett nodded the ball on for Dickov to knock his shot just over the crossbar.

United had been poor in the second half and six minutes after half-time Ferguson brought on the cavalry in the form of van Nistelrooy.

Scholes continued to pepper the Leicester goal and he whistled a 25-yarder just past Walker's left-hand post.

Deane then squandered a great chance to put Leicester ahead when he headed Marshall's right-wing cross wide from just 12 yards out.

That miss looked all the more costly when United made the breakthrough just after the hour mark courtesy of Solskjaer's 22nd goal of the season.

Davidson could only head Phil Neville's throw-in to the Norwegian who chested the ball and swivelled on his left foot before firing home with his right from 12 yards out.

Leicester tried to respond, but apart from a Matthew Piper drive, which whizzed narrowly over the United crossbar they could offer little.

United could even afford to hand Wes Brown his comeback and he came on to make his first appearance after four months out with knee and ankle injuries.

By now United were coasting towards another league win to keep up the pressure on Arsenal and Liverpool in the title race, while Leicester appeared to have accepted the inevitable.

Their fans showed their support when they sang for their team in the final minutes, but in the end Solskjaer's goal was enough to seal Leicester's fate.

Teams

Leicester: Walker, Rowett, Elliott, Sinclair, Davidson (Ashton 83), Marshall, Savage, Oakes (Reeves 80), Piper, Deane, Dickov.

Subs Not Used: Flowers, Heath, Stevenson.

Booked: Davidson.

Man Utd: Carroll, Irwin (Brown 78), Gary Neville, Blanc, Silvestre, Phil Neville, Butt, Scholes, Fortune (van Nistelrooy 51), Solskjaer, Forlan (Giggs 63).

Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, O'Shea.

Booked: Butt.

Goals: Solskjaer 61.

Att: 21,447

Ref: A D'Urso (Billericay).