Manchester United strikers Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole gunned down weakened
Leicester as Alex Ferguson's side stepped up their bid to regain the Premiership
title in impressive fashion with a second-half goal blitz.
Yorke smashed a hat-trick - his first for the club - and Cole struck twice as
the Red Devils took full advantage of the absence of key defenders Matt Elliott
and Frank Sinclair through suspension to score five times in the second 45
minutes.
The lack of pace of Steve Walsh and Gerry Taggart at the heart of the home
rearguard was clinically exposed and only some slipshod finishing prevented
Yorke and Cole from finishing with hat-tricks.
Leicester also badly missed the physical presence of striker Emile Heskey who
was confined to bed with 'flu.
They showed the usual typical never say die spirit which has become part of
their trademark under Martin O'Neill.
But better sides than Leicester will struggle to halt the wave of attacks and
menace shown by United's deadly forward duo in the weeks ahead.
In the second half United looked as if they were going to score every time
they broke forward after Leicester had managed to remain on level terms at
half-time.
The only worrying factor was the continuing uncertain form of goalkeeper Peter
Schmeichel who, along with David Beckham, returned after a fortnight's
mid-season break.
Leicester made a promising start and a dipping 25 yarder from Steve Guppy
almost caught Peter Schmeichel unawares as it flew inches wide.
But after 10 minutes United broke the deadlock. Ryan Giggs and Jesper
Blomqvist were involved in the build-up before Denis Irwin squared the ball
across the area.
Cole's dummy meant that Dwight Yorke was left unmarked at the far post and he
made no mistake for his 14th goal of the campaign.
Leicester 'keeper Kasey Keller then saved away from his left to keep out a
diving header from Giggs following a right-wing cross from Wesley Brown.
Then David Beckham flashed a 25-yard effort just wide as United threatened to
take control.
But Leicester's fighting spirit dragged them back into the match and
Schmeichel came out to save at the feet of Muzzy Izzet before Zagorakis brought
them level in spectacular style.
Steve Guppy squared the ball to Zagorakis 25 yards out and his right-footed
rocket shot beat the dive of Schmeichel all ends up as it flew into the roof of
the net.
The Foxes then squandered a golden chance to take the lead when Guppy's left
wing centre found Pontus Kaamark unmarked at the far post but from eight yards
out he drilled his shot over the bar.
That proved to be costly for United moved up a gear after the break to kill
off the game with three goals in 18 minutes.
Cole restored the lead for the Red Devils in the 47th minute when he latched
onto a long pass from Giggs, outpaced Gerry Taggart and drilled a low cross-shot
past Keller.
Cole then shot over from close range after a lack of control by Steve Walsh in
trying to cut out a centre from Blomqvist.
But it hardly seemed to matter as United added two more goals in double quick
time.
First Yorke turned past Walsh and threaded a pass into the Cole whose
61st-minute shot flew under the body of Keller.
Then a misjudgement by Keller presented Yorke with his second goal of
thegame.
The American tried to shepherd a long ball from Irwin behind the goalline but
Yorke nipped in and turned his shot home from a narrow angle.
Leicester rallied and in the 73rd minute Walsh gave them a ray of hope when he
bundled a fiercely driven cross-shot from Guppy over the line.
But back came United and with six minutes left Yorke completed his hat-trick
from close range after Cole's shot had rebounded off a post into his path.
Then in injury-time Jaap Stam completed the rout when he side-footed home
Beckham's cross from close range with the Leicester defence again nowhere to be
seen.
Teams
Leicester: Keller, Ullathorne, Walsh, Taggart,
Kaamark (Campbell 71), Zagorakis, Lennon, Izzet, Guppy,
Cottee (Fenton 89), Wilson (Parker 71).
Subs Not Used: Arphexad, Oakes.
Booked: Walsh, Lennon.
Goals: Zagorakis 35, Walsh 73.
Man Utd: Schmeichel, Brown (Neville 45), Stam, Berg, Irwin,
Blomqvist, Beckham, Keane, Giggs, Cole, Yorke.
Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Johnsen, Scholes, Solskjaer.
Booked: Keane, Blomqvist.
Goals: Yorke 10, Cole 49, 61, Yorke 63, 84, Stam 90.
Att: 22,091
Ref: S Dunn (Bristol).
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