As it happened - English Premier League: Leicester City hold Manchester United to draw in thriller

FULL-TIME: LEICESTER 2 UNITED 2

What a welcome Boxing Day afternoon bout that was! Full of drama, goals and relentless action. Fair result, all told, but Liverpool will be the real winners as they stay a healthy three points ahead of Leicester at the top, ahead of their game against West Brom on Sunday. There are still a futher five games today. Hope you sit back, relax and enjoy the fun. Thanks for following!

Saturday
Leicester City 2 Manchester United 2
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, 7pm
Fulham v Southampton, 7pm
Arsenal v Chelsea, 9.30pm
Manchester City v Newcastle, midnight
Sheffield United v Everton, midnight

LEICESTER 2 UNITED 2

Waaaah! Nearly a last-minute winner for Leicester as a shot from distance flies in, but comes off a Leicester boot in an offside position. 

LEICESTER 2 UNITED 2

Four minutes added on. Will we get a winner? 

GOAL! LEICESTER 2 UNITED 2

Never count out Leicester when Jamie Vardy is still on the prowl. Low cross, angled boot, only one result. Boom. Leicester are level once again with five mins to go. 

GOAL! LEICESTER 1 UNITED 2

It isn't Cavani but it is the wonderboy Fernandes who has United on the brink of second spot. A fine angled finish has Schmeichel beaten all ends up and the visitors are 10 minutes away from a brilliant three points. Cavani makes an instant impact with the assist. 

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

Still no let up in the pace as Solskjaer decides to turn to the bench again. Here comes Cavani, the hero against Everton in midweek in the Leage Cup. Off comes Martial and on comes the record-breaking Uruguayan veteran goal-machine. 15 mins to go.

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

A lovely inswinging free-kick has the United players queueing up, but skipper Harry Maguire heads over the bar. Frustration all over his face at that chance gone abegging.

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

Changes aplenty now as Pogba is on for David James (not that one), Lindelof goes off injured to be replaced by Azel Tuanzebe. Let's see what that will do to the final 20 minutes. 

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

I'm good at the old jinxiness! United spring into action and first Rashford brings out a brilliant stop from Schmeichel - reminiscent of his dad for the team in red back in the day. Then Martial has the ball in the net, but is a fraction offside. Ding, ding! Round 3!

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

Solskjaer will be thinking of that change now as Leicester seem to have the upper hand and United are getting pinned back. 

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

Dangerous free-kick as Eric Bailly falls foul of the silly 'raised hand deflection' rule as he was simply gesturing to a player and the ball pings off him. Thankfully for United the resulting shot from Maddison is deflected away by the defensive wall.

KICK-OFF: LEICESTER 0 UNITED 0

Back under way. Solksjaer resists the option to switch things around and sticks with his starting XI. As does Rodgers with the Leicester pack. 

HALF-TIME: LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

Bruno Fernandes picks up a needless yellow card just before  referee Mike Dean peeps for the end of the first, very entertaining 45 minutes.

LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

After that rousing response from Leicester, the camera pans to a concerned Solskjaer and then Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani warming up on the touchline. As always, plenty of options for United, but would a change at half-time be too rash? They have looked strong so far against a decent side who are playing at home.

GOAL! LEICESTER 1 UNITED 1

Wow! Best goal I've seen since Christmas. Harvey Barnes dances into dangerous territory with five United defenders around him and the 23-year-old decides to let rip from distance, the ball burning De Gea's fingertips on its way into the net. What a way to level the scores. 

GOAL! LEICESTER 0 UNITED 1

Marcus Rashford makes up for his earlier miss as ke keeps his cool to beat the offside trap and slot home past Schmeichel. Bruno Fernandes is key in the build-up as he threads the ball through to Rashford. The Portuguese can do no wrong for United. Solskjaer's boys up to second as it stands. 

LEICESTER 0 UNITED 0

De Gea gave United fans a horror flashback as a poor pass was intercepted by Albrighton in that defensive scramble, but Fred was the man who came to the rescue. The Spanish keeper is complaining of a twang in his back. Yound England hopeful Dean Henderson is warming up. 

LEICESTER 0 UNITED 0

No heavy Christmas-dinner bellies on show here as both sides keep up a frantic pace. Martial gives Schmeichel a worry in the Leicester goal before a collective effort at the back from United clears the danger with Leicester lurking in numbers. Momets later, Vardy flashes a shot just past De Gea's right-hand post. Keep it up!

LEICESTER 0 UNITED 0

Jamie Vardy replies in kind as his volley sails over. To be fair, he was under pressure from the United defence, but given the form he is in you would expect him to hit the target. Lively start.

KICK-OFF: LEICESTER 0 UNITED 0

We are under way at King Power Stadium and Marcus Rashford misses a sitter in the opening minute. All alone in the six-yard box, he nods his header over with the goal at his mercy.

LEICESTER v UNITED

10 mins to kick-off...

A victory on the road for United would truly put them among the favourites for the title for the first time since ... well, a long time. They have a game in hand on leaders Liverpool, also! Intriguing indeed. It may be a hindrance to have yet another game on your schedule during this most hectic period in top-flight footy as the English teams are playing almost every other day during the festive fixtures.

"It is a truly unique time in football as we come to the end of the year," says Craig Leader, manager at Crown & Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. "The tables are packed, especially on Boxing Day as patrons look to shake off their Christmas excesses. A full card of football always helps and it will stay this way right through to January 2 (after which the Premier League goes on a short break)."

LEICESTER v UNITED

Brendan Rodgers Leicester are second, one point ahead of United in third, and a win for either side would have them right on the heels of leaders Liverpool. I'm sure Jurgen klopp would settle for a draw before his Reds play tomorrow.

LEICESTER v UNITED
TEAM NEWS

Leicester: Schmeichel, Justin, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Albrighton, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy
Substitutes: Ward, Iheanacho, Pérez, Amartey, Choudhury, Mendy, Praet, Fuchs, Thomas
United: De Gea, Bailly, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred, James, Fernandes, Rashford, Martial
Substitutes: Henderson, Pogba, Cavani, Greenwood, Lingard, Telles, Matic, Van de Beek, Tuanzebe

Here is a rundown of today’s Boxing day treats

Saturday
Leicester City v Manchester United, 4.30pm
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, 7pm
Fulham v Southampton, 7pm
Arsenal v Chelsea, 9.30pm
Manchester City v Newcastle, midnight
Sheffield United v Everton, midnight

Good afternoon, hope you all had a nice festive Friday feed yesterday and have stocked up on turkey sandwiches for today’s football feast from the English Premier League.

There are six games today to help blow those Christmas cobwebs away, starting with an interesting test for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s rejuvenated Manchester United at Leicester City.