Leicester outfoxed by grandstand United

From the day in 1993 when Steve Bruce as good as brought the title to Old Trafford with two dramatic, late headers against Sheffield Wednesday, grandstand finishes have become a United speciality.

Leicester boss Peter Taylor acknowledged that United's goalscoring potency in the dying seconds was the hallmark of champions.

He said: 'Good teams keep believing they'll score. They do it so often, they know they're going to do it again. They seemed to sense it would come right and that's why they're top by a distance and heading for another title.'

'When you chase them round the park for the best part of 90 minutes like we did today, you use up so much energy that you become vulnerable. It catches up with you and maybe that's why they've won so many games in the last minute.

'Whichever way you look at it, though, it's a sign of their quality. There is so much ability in their squad that no matter how you approach it, you go through spells where you simply don't see the ball.

Sir Alex's decision to rest David Beckham, after he felt a hamstring tighten on Wednesday in training, was welcomed by Taylor in both of his guises as Leicester boss and part of England's coaching set-up.

It restricted United's range of attacking options but increased England's prospects of maximum points against Finland and Albania, according to Taylor, who said: 'I'd never question any decision Sir Alex makes and certainly this one makes a lot of sense.

'David is going to be eager to be involved again when he reports for England duty and that can only be good for the whole country.'

Leicester were closing in on a point that would have made up for the previous week's FA Cup humiliation by Wycombe Wanderers when Yorke deflected a Solskjaer drive home and Silvestre settled matters with an angled drive.

It was hard on Leicester but a successful day for Premier-ship debutant keeper Paul Rabchuka, called in when Fabien Barthez pulled a thigh muscle in the warm-up, and stand-in skipper Denis Irwin, who was making his 500th United appearance.