Extra-Time Talking Points: Man Utd Reflections, City's Prospects & Exciting Spurs Test
Brendan Rodgers' men were edged 1-0 by the Red Devils on Saturday, courtesy of Marcus Rashford's early penalty at Old Trafford, leaving City fifth in the Premier League standings.
Following the Foxes' only defeat of the 2019/20 campaign so far, Elliott, Roberts and White discussed a wide range of talking points during Monday's show, which is available on-demand now.
Disappointments & positives
Matt Elliott said: “A lot was expected of the game as a spectacle, but it never materialised. The frustration of giving away a penalty was multiple, but the main one was what it took away from the game in entertainment value. United settled for that, they didn’t venture further, and Leicester found it difficult to break them down. Overall, it was a little bit of a disappointment, but there were positives to be taken from it.”
A soft penalty settles it
Iwan Roberts said: “Leicester had more possession, nine corners, four attempts on target, they probably didn’t work the ‘keeper as much as they would have liked and it was a sloppy penalty to give away. It’s one of those which goes against you when you’re playing at a venue like Old Trafford. Had they been playing here (at King Power Stadium), it might not have been given.”
The importance of away points
Arlo White said: “If Leicester want to break into that top six, games like this, at big grounds like Old Trafford, are going to be significant. Leicester can look at the away games at Chelsea and Manchester United and be disappointed. Based on the games and the way they went, I think four points would have been the minimum they deserved, so that is disappointing. It shows how far they've come though.”
Leicester can achieve something
Matt Elliott said: “The ambitions are there aren’t they? Nobody has mentioned any specific targets and I think they’re right to do so. Brendan Rodgers has said publicly that he wants to do as well as possible. There is a belief that they can achieve something out of the ordinary. There’s a feeling that they’re on the cusp on something very positive. Once Leicester got in their stride, they were the better team against Chelsea and United.”
Foxes talent flourishing
Arlo White said: “Every 90 minutes that Hamza Choudhury puts in is just invaluable for him and people are raving about his performance. James Maddison: we’re not seeing the end product, but I’m sure that’s going to improve because he’s a terrific footballer. Ben Chilwell, the England left-back… there’s talent all through that squad. When we talk about challenging in the league and going for a cup, if you look at the challengers… Wolves haven’t won yet, Everton are inconsistent and West Ham seem to be the biggest challenger.”
Spurs visit an exciting challenge
Iwan Roberts said: “I think they’ll brush away the disappointment of losing at Man Utd and they’ll fully focus on a Spurs side who are coming here after beating Crystal Palace. By no means are they not beatable. Especially at home, Leicester are a very strong capable team and they’ll go into the match with a confidence that they can seal a victory over one of those big teams in the league.”