Manchester United target Harry Maguire scores for Leicester City in pre-season win at Cambridge United
The gulf between Cambridge United and Leicester City cannot be understated.
One has a multi-millionaire owner and just signed a player for a reported £40m, the other is seeking increased investment in the club and had to sell one of its main assets to a rival in the same division.
It is not a case of suggesting that there was little to choose between the Sky Bet League Two and Premier League sides - Leicester were certainly head and shoulders above - but the way that the U’s contested, given the above disparity, should certainly provide plenty of heart.
They were organised and resilient, and while maybe not creating as much as they would have wanted, they were certainly no pushovers.
It is so important to not get carried away by pre-season, so many false dawns have been built on such naivety, but there was certainly grounds for optimism, especially with four trialists on show for United.
But to say it was a strong line-up from Leicester City is an understatement.
The Foxes were crowned Premier League champions in the 2015/16 season, and while they may not have challenged at the top again, yet, their squad is still among the strongest in the top division.
England centre-back Harry Maguire was the main attraction, given the speculation linking him with an £80m move to Manchester United, but also in their line-up were former England striker Jamie Vardy, keeper Kaspar Schmeichel and Tielemans, a club record signing.
Despite Leicester’s strength, it was a U that produced the most impressive performance of the game as Dimitar Mitov repelled the Foxes’ all-stars, keeping them out completely in the first half.
The U’s keeper, who will be looking to make the No 1 jersey his own after the arrival of Callum Burton, was in fine form to keep the Foxes at bay.
United were defending well as a unit, getting back into position and creating what at times felt like a blocking machine.
However, the intricacies and skills of the visitors meant that they were always likely to carve open opportunities - and that is when Mitov came into his own.
Vardy was the first to test the shot-stopper and he was equal to it, pushing a fierce drive onto the post.
Ricardo Pereira was put through in the box, but he too was twice denied by Mitov.
Marc Albrighton cut in off the left to send in a low effort which the U’s keeper held, and then he had a slice of luck.
Having done well to deny Tielemans from distance, the rebound fell to Pereira whose ball back across goal went through the keeper’s legs and across the goalmouth.
Beyond that though, equally as eye-catching was the display of Liam O’Neil.
The midfielder was plagued by injury in the second half of last season, bringing an abrupt end to his campaign, but he exhibited some of the ability that had taken him to West Brom at the start of his career.
He was covering space well, and organising the midfield, while also showing the eye for a pass, putting team-mates into the rare space that they were able to get during the first-half.
It was an encouraging sign that O’Neil will be able to deliver on his undoubted quality.
As is always the case and to be expected in pre-season, there were mass changes at the break, with trialists Wes Hoolahan and Elliot Ward coming on for United.
The breakthrough, inevitably, came from the man of the moment.
In the 59th minute, from the left corner of the box, Ben Chilwell floated in a delicious cross to the back post, and Maguire met it with a thumping header that gave Mitvo no chance.
The goal sparked the hoards of Leicester fans to break into a chorus of ‘Harry Magure, we want you to stay’.
It seems that it is destined to be a case of watch this space.
Kelechi Iheanacho should have made it 2-0 after rounding Mitov in the 67th minute, but squared the ball across the goalmouth.
Mitov was then quickly off his line to narrow the angle and deny Harvey Barnes, but the lead was doubled in the 83rd minute as Barnes’ cross from the left was met with a powerful header by Iheanacho.
The striker then hit the post in the 87th minute, with Mitov doing superbly to deny Barnes with the follow-up, but in the next passage of play, Hamza Choudhury finished off in the box to make it 3-0.
While it may have been a deserved score for Leicester, it felt a bit harsh on United. Especially given their first-half endeavours. But gives plenty of encouragement about what might be to come.
Read more:
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Cambridge United head coach Colin Calderwood lauds speed and style of Leicester City
