Five things we learned as Manchester United beat Leicester City 2-0

Manchester United have finished in third place and qualified for the Champions League after a 2-0 win over Leicester City.

Here is a look at five things we learned from a difficult game at the King Power Stadium.

We did it

Wow that was tough to watch. United did not play well, but just about did enough.

Learning Chelsea were 2-0 up at half-time only made the game situation more tense heading into the second 45 minutes, and until the penalty, the result could have gone either way.

To qualify for the Champions League is huge for this team in a financial and sporting sense.

We made hard work of it, across the whole season, and in this game, and momentarily, we can breathe a sign of relief.

Leicester City v Manchester United - Premier League — Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images

Fernandes has ice in his veins

Bruno Fernandes’ ability to score from the penalty spot should not be taken for granted.

If we had him earlier in the season for spot kicks alone then he would have made life a lot easier.

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Remember the start of the campaign when Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford missed penalties against Wolves and Crystal Palace and cost us points in both matches?

Having a reliable penalty taker is a valuable commodity, and even though you worry one day a goalkeeper will catch him out, today was not the day.

FBL-ENG-PR-LEICESTER-MAN UTD — Photo by CARL RECINE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Still a battle to break teams down

For all the creativity in United’s starting line up, it is still a fight to break teams down at the moment.

In the first half we managed to create only two goalscoring chances, and did not manage a shot on target until injury time.

This game was always going to be tight, but United needed more quality and directness in attack, especially early on, when we should be looking to set the tone and kills teams off.

Leicester had three of their first choice back four out injured or suspended and United should have caused far more problems than we did.

It was a penalty which broke Leicester down and lets face it, it needed to be, because we were not creating much from open play.

Goalkeeper situation still an issue

A week on from his error against Chelsea, David de Gea did not exactly look assured in this crucial game at the King Power.

In the first half he spilled a shot right into Jamie Vardy’s path which he should have been able to take first time.

It did not exactly inspire confidence and showed a goalkeeper who is not at the top of his game, and only invited Leicester’s players to take more shots at him.

United need to work with him over the next few weeks by giving him a break for the Europa League matches.

An even bigger decision may await after that, but what we do know now is that he is off his game and needs a break.

Big game bottler tag can’t apply

This season United have struggled to get results when it mattered most.

Losses in cup semi-finals and draws at home to Southampton and West Ham when wins would have taken us into even stronger positions, suggested cumulatively that this United side had a bit of a mental block to stepping up when it really matters.

Losing here would have made this a real concern to take into next season and the Europa League.

Now United’s players have proved to themselves and the world that they can get a result, in this case a win, when we really needed it.

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