Leicester came to Old Trafford on Saturday believing they could come and get three points.
United’s injury crisis gave them reason to hope, coupled with their three point lead ahead of United entering the game.
So too did the performances of Turkish talent Caglar Soyuncu, who had been in good form since stepping up as Harry Maguire’s replacement.
Leicester fans had been chanting, ‘We don’t need you, we’ve got Soyuncu’ in with some expletives fired in Maguire’s direction, still salty at his departure.
If ever a chant backfired, it was this one, in two ways.
Maguire 1 Soyuncu 0
Caglar Soyuncu made one major contribution to the game at Old Trafford. He brought down Marcus Rashford to win a penalty.
Rashford scored and United won the game 1-0. It was a game the Leicester star would rather forget.
Maguire meanwhile repelled everything Leicester pushed forward in his direction.
He made five clearances, won two tackles and made one interception, also blocking one shot. His contribution was crucial in keeping a clean sheet.
But the £80 million fee is about more than statistics and facts and figures. It’s about character and leadership.
Maguire was really tested, he knew the spotlight was on him, and he did not falter.
Soyuncu in one of the biggest games of his career let himself down, and that’s the difference between a top class defender and one who is not there yet.
It seems Leicester might have needed Maguire after all. And the way the game panned out in the face of the chants, will have made the result so much sweeter for the England man.
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