United 1 Leicester 1

Everyone outside United and Spurs, of course, were looking to Leicester to seal the title today.  The Reds needed a win too though, for the rather less romantic but highly important prospect of a top four finish.  In the end, a draw meant that Leicester left Old Trafford without the championship but they'll have been the happier of the two sides, edging closer to their target while United rely on others to keep alive their rather more meagre prospects.

United began a frantic first half in the best possible way, taking the game to Leicester and grabbing a deserved lead in the eighth minute when Valencia's cross from the right found Martial at the far post, who comfortably tucked home. The Reds might well have had a second when Lingard's shot through a congested penalty area was well saved by Schmeichel.

Leicester came back, however, and captain Wes Morgan typified the spirit he's shown throughout this campaign when he got his head to former United reserve Drinkwater's free kick to draw his side level.  

In an eventful first half, both sides will feel they were on the wrong end of the kind of borderline decisions that have littered Leicester's run-in.  Lingard was through with only the keeper to beat when he was jostled by another ex-Red Danny Simpson.  

If Simpson probably did enough to make it a difficult decision for referee Oliver, the later clumsy challenge from Rojo on Mahrez in the area appeared, frankly, to be a clear-cut foul but the referee again waved play on.  There was also a case for both Fellaini and Huth being penalised following an aggressive tussle in the area: the big Belgian's stray elbow into the German's chin would presumably have received the greater punishment and will almost certainly be followed up with action by the FA.

With Spurs facing a difficult trip to Chelsea tomorrow and with a home game to come next weekend, most would have forgiven Leicester had they simply aimed to hold on to a point in the second half.  This spirit and endeavour of this team, however, meant they took the game to United with increased ambition, the romance of securing the title at Old Trafford clearly winning out over old-fashioned pragmatism.  Which is exactly how it should be.

With Kante now bossing central midfield, they looked the more likely to take the lead in the period after half-time.  Okazaki was close to getting on the end of Simpson's cross across the area and Mahrez struck a shot from outside the box too close to De Gea.

As the champions-elect began to tire and the game became increasingly spread, United began again to look the more likely winners.  Smalling narrowly failed to score with a header from Rooney's cross and, when substitute Memphis was brought down by Drinkwater on the edge of the area, it looked a clear penalty.  Instead, Oliver gave Drinkwater a second yellow but judged the offence to have occurred on the edge of the box.

Only at that point did the visitors settle for a point.  A brilliant intervention from Schmeichel prevented Memphis from getting on the end of a back pass as United pressed.  In the end an eventful game finished even, edging Leicester closer to their remarkable title while United fans will surely wonder what might have been had their team showed this kind of will to win against lesser opposition this season.