EPL

Manchester United 3-0 Leicester City: Rashford run continues in easy win

By Sports Desk February 19, 2023

Marcus Rashford continued his remarkable goalscoring form as Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 Premier League win over Leicester City.

Rashford was on target with a brace at Old Trafford on Sunday to help United overcome a poor start and make it eight wins from their last 11 league games.

Jadon Sancho made sure of the points with a well-worked third for United, who are now only five points behind leaders Arsenal, albeit having played a game more.

The comfortable nature of the victory allowed United to rest Rashford for much of the second half ahead of Thursday's Europa League second leg at home to Barcelona and next Sunday's EFL Cup final against Newcastle United, in which they will look to win a first trophy since 2017.

Leicester dominated the early stages and would have taken the lead in the eighth minute if not for fine goalkeeping from David de Gea, who denied Harvey Barnes after he had played a one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho following sloppy play in possession from Fred.

The Foxes wasted several superb chances to open the scoring and De Gea was once again a thorn in their side when he produced heroics to claw away Iheanacho's goal-bound header from a Timothy Castagne cross.

Their profligacy was punished moments later when a lazy pass from Wout Faes was pounced on in style by United, Bruno Fernandes' throughball with the outside of the boot finding Rashford to lash into the bottom-left corner.

Faes was guilty of more questionable defending when United went close to doubling their lead, Diogo Dalot afforded too much space in the penalty area but unable to make telling contact with an excellent Fernandes cross.

United did make it 2-0 in the 56th minute when Rashford slid home after being played through by Fred, with the VAR deeming Faes had played him onside after the assistant had initially raised his flag.

Sancho then ensured there would be no Leicester comeback, slotting in from closing range after a neat exchange with the impressive Fernandes.

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    Nottingham Forest have paid tribute to double European Cup winner Larry Lloyd, who has died at the age of 75.

    Lloyd, who also won the First Division title and UEFA Cup with Liverpool, was a key player in the Forest side which won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 under manager Brian Clough.

    The Bristol-born defender won four caps for England and went on to manage Wigan and Notts County following the end of his hugely-successful playing career.

    In a statement on the club’s website, Forest wrote: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Larry Lloyd.

    “Part of the Miracle Men, Larry was an integral player in the Forest side that memorably won back-to-back European Cups in 1979 and 1980, making 218 appearances for the club in total.

    “We send our condolences to Larry’s friends and family at this truly sad time. Rest in peace, Larry.”

    Lloyd began his career with Bristol Rovers before being signed by Liverpool manager Bill Shankly for £50,000 in 1969.

    The Reds won the league and UEFA Cup double in 1973, with Lloyd remarkably playing in every game that season.

    Liverpool paid tribute to an “aerially dominant and strong-tackling” player, whose goal in the first leg of the UEFA Cup final against Borussia Monchengladbach proved vital.

    Lloyd made it 3-0 on the hour mark following a brace from Kevin Keegan at Anfield, with the Reds winning 3-2 on aggregate after losing the second leg in Germany 2-0.

    “Liverpool FC is deeply saddened by the passing of former defender Larry Lloyd, aged 75,” the club said in a statement.

    “LFC will pay tribute to Lloyd with a period of applause at Anfield on Sunday when the Reds host Brighton.

    “The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Larry’s family and friends at this sad time.”

    After two years at Coventry, Lloyd moved to the City Ground in a £60,000 deal and went on to form a vital centre-back partnership with Kenny Burns as Forest beat Malmo in the European Cup final in 1979.

    Forest retained the trophy a year later against Kevin Keegan’s Hamburg.

  • Manchester United and Liverpool come together to tackle tragedy chanting Manchester United and Liverpool come together to tackle tragedy chanting

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    The exhilarating FA Cup quarter-final between the two most successful clubs in England earlier this month – won 4-3 by United with a late goal in extra time – was marred by incidences of tragedy-related chanting by supporters.

    With the two rivals set to meet again in the Premier League at Old Trafford on April 7, the charitable foundations of both clubs have come together to deliver an education programme focused on the impact such conduct can have.

    It is aimed at children in the hope that, by learning about the Munich and Hillsborough disasters at a young age, such behaviour will not be absorbed by the next generation and the problem will fade out.

    Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson and ex-United defender Wes Brown were both involved as a session for schoolchildren from both Manchester and Liverpool was held at the Lord Derby Academy in Huyton, Merseyside, on Wednesday.

    Brown told the PA news agency: “It’s about the two biggest clubs in England and in world football coming together to a school, to talk about the tragedies that happened at each club and why we don’t need tragedy chanting.

    “It’s about getting the kids to understand it. It doesn’t make them look cool, it doesn’t make them top boy or top girl.

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    “There are people from both clubs still in pain from the incidents that happened. It’s not something that in any way you can be happy about.”

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    He said: “This has been going on now for years and it needs to be identified.

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    France got back to winning ways as they came from behind to beat Chile 3-2 at Stade Velodrome.

    Les Bleus endured a poor start for the second time in as many games, falling behind after just six minutes in Marseille through Marcelino Nunez's finish.

    However, they turned the contest on its head before half-time with Youssouf Fofana equalising and Randal Kolo Muani heading them in front.

    Olivier Giroud ultimately got the winner for Didier Deschamps' side who, despite Dario Osorio's late strike, completed their Euro 2024 preparations with a ninth victory in 12 games since their 2022 World Cup final defeat to Argentina.

    France, who conceded after just seven seconds against Germany on Saturday, were punished for another slow start as a neat one-two down the right flank enabled Mauricio Isla to pull the ball back for Nunez to drive home.

    Despite losing Jonathan Clauss and Eduardo Camavinga to injury during the first half, Les Bleus responded well and levelled in the 19th minute when Kylian Mbappe teed up Fofana, who found the net from 20 yards via a slight Igor Lichnovsky deflection.

    Mbappe went close himself before the hosts turned matters around when Kolo Muani rose to head home Theo Hernandez’s deep cross.

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    The hosts capitalised on their good fortune to go 3-1 up in the 72nd minute. Kolo Muani turned provider with a wonderful jinking run into the area from the right wing, before pulling the ball back for Giroud to sweep in his record-extending 57th international goal.

    Chile threatened a dramatic fightback when Osorio drilled home eight minutes from time, and it took William Saliba's superb last-ditch sliding challenge to deny Ben Brereton Diaz an equaliser right at the death.

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    Deschamps' team had not suffered successive defeats since June 2015, though it looked a possibility when they fell behind in the sixth minute.

    But the revival began when Mbappe set up Fofana, who continued his fine scoring streak with his third international goal in four appearances.

    Although Mbappe did not find the net himself, he still managed to achieve yet another milestone courtesy of his 27th assist for Les Blues, moving him joint-second with Thierry Henry on France's all-time list, he now has Antoine Griezmann's record of 30 in sight.

    The skipper could well surpass that at Euro 2024, where France will be among the favourites when they launch their quest for a third title against Austria in Group D on June 17.

    Chile's rapid start proves academic on Sanchez's record-breaking night

    Having begun Ricardo Gareca's reign with a morale-boosting 3-0 victory over the in-form Albania, Chile built on that momentum with their fast start this time around.

    Nunez's strike after just five minutes and 12 seconds was their quickest goal since Alexis Sanchez found the net one second earlier against Germany in the 2017 Confederations Cup.

    Speaking of Sanchez, the Inter forward enjoyed a momentous night, as he surpassed Gary Medel to become Chile's most-capped player.

    One of three players to feature in his nation's last meeting with France in August 2011 – along with Claudio Bravo and Mauricio Isla – it was quite fitting that his landmark 162nd appearance came at the home of Marseille, for whom he scored 18 goals in 44 games last season.

    Chile now switch focus to their forthcoming Copa America campaign, which begins against Gareca's former employers Peru on June 22.

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