Winks: A Cutting Edge Required

- Leicester City fell to a Premier League reverse against Manchester United
- The Foxes were beaten 3-0 at Old Trafford on Sunday
- Harry Winks gave his assessment of the performance
- City are next in action against Chelsea after the international break

Suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United, with Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho on the scoresheet either side of a Victor Kristiansen own goal, it turned into a frustrating afternoon for the Foxes.

Despite having five shots on target to United’s three, there was a lack of a clinical edge to Leicester’s play, while Winks acknowledged that several errors at the other end of the pitch were punished by Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side.

“I don't think the result really reflected the performance,” the 28-year-old assessed. “I don't think it was a game where we got dominated and they deserved to win 3-0, but it was just moments of us probably switching off or not being 100 per cent focused in a moment.

“But other than that, I think we played really well at times. We probably could have been better going forward, a bit more of a threat, but I don't think the scoreline truly reflects the match, the goals.

“The moment where it's a quick throw in and they've scored from that and from a counter attack as well. Again, something that we knew that they'd be good at is trying to get us on the counter attack and the break and just moments that if we were fully focused on not stopping that, it could have probably been a different game.

“But they're a good side. They're going to have counter attacks. They're going to have moments where we switch off. It's football, that happens for them as well. But I think it’s just the nature of the game and how ruthless United can be and that's how it feels.”

The Foxes, on their second visit to Manchester in a matter of 12 days, kept going forward and the England midfielder believes a goal could have totally changed the game, but remained focused on the good aspects of the performance.

He continued: “We've done that in other games this season where we've got that goal early in the second half and it's really changed the momentum, and we just couldn't find that moment to break them down.

“I don't think we really pinned them in enough and kept up waves of attacks to really try and sustain opportunities to score. But I think it's a game where we can look back and go: 'we should have been a bit more ruthless going forward', but I think the scoreline doesn't truly reflect the result.

“We didn't come here and get outplayed. We didn't come here and get played off the pitch, and at times we were in control and we felt like we had the game in our hands. But it's just having that cutting edge going forward, being a bit more ruthless and creating opportunities.

“I think if we can try and bring that back into our game, then I think we'll be okay.”

The upcoming international break offers an opportunity to reflect and reset before going again against Chelsea a week on Saturday back at King Power Stadium (12:30pm GMT kick-off).  

“There’s time to work now,” Winks added. “We've got a big game against Chelsea after the international break, but it's going to be at home, which is going to be important for us because we know how important our home fixtures are this season with the fans behind us.

“We've had some good results in terms of getting the win there and a couple of good draws. So it's important that we try and bring that same momentum and that same atmosphere to the game because it's going to be a big game for us.”