Under-23s match report: Man United 0 Leicester 2

So the scene was set for an entertaining curtain-raiser to the new season and the opening to the game didn’t disappoint.

Both teams launched into the contest in a breathless manner and the visitors were the first to threaten. Khanya Leshabela slammed a cracking drive against the frame of Ondrej Mastny’s goal in only the sixth minute and, soon after, Mitchell Clark’s shot was narrowly wide of the target.

Leicester defender Vontae Daley-Campbell was one of five Foxes players who would be booked, after fouling Anthony Elanga on the edge of the penalty area, and only an unkind deflection prevented skipper James Garner’s free-kick from putting United into the lead.

Mastny’s woodwork was rattled again, a few minutes later, by long-range strike by Connor Hulme and the visitors must have started to wonder if Lady Luck was going to be on their side.

Hannibal made a surging run upfield, in the moments before half-time, but couldn’t finish what appeared to be promising break. Then, on the stroke of half-time, United should have scored but Elanga’s finish to a Martin Svidersky pass was kept out by Jakub Stolarczyk, with the follow-up also blocked.