Leicester City vs Man Utd Lineups: Confirmed XI & Stats

Few matchups in English football carry the weight of history quite like Leicester City versus Manchester United. Whether you’re checking the starting XI or trying to read between the lines of formation changes, there’s always more than just a scoreline to unpack.

Most recent match date: March 16, 2025 (Premier League) ·
Leicester City recent form: 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses in last 5 league matches (as of March 2025) ·
Manchester United recent form: 3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss in last 5 league matches (as of March 2025) ·
Head-to-head in 2024/25 season: Manchester United 2 wins, Leicester City 0 wins (2 meetings)

Six key facts tell the story of the March 16 encounter, one pattern: Manchester United’s tactical flexibility gave them the edge.

What are the predicted lineups for Leicester City vs Manchester United?

Predicted starting XI for Leicester City

• Leicester City are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation with Mads Hermansen in goal, according to pre-match analysis from Sporting News (U.S. sports media). The back three likely includes Conor Coady, Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes.
• Midfield is anchored by Harry Winks and Wilfred Ndidi, with Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu providing width.
• Jamie Vardy remains the focal point up front, though his minutes are managed given his age.

Predicted starting XI for Manchester United

• Sporting News projected Manchester United in a 3-4-2-1 shape for the FA Cup tie in February 2025, with André Onana in goal and a back three of Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro.
• Bruno Fernandes is expected to operate as the advanced playmaker, with Rasmus Højlund leading the line.
• The predicted Premier League lineup for March 16, however, saw Alejandro Garnacho dropped from the XI, per OneFootball (football news platform).

Key injuries and suspensions

• No major suspensions were reported for either side ahead of the March 16 match.
• Leicester City were without injured defender James Justin, though the club has not issued an official update on his return date.

What was the confirmed starting XI in the latest match?

Leicester City confirmed lineup

• The Premier League (official league site) confirmed Leicester City’s XI on March 16, 2025: Hermansen; Coady, Vestergaard, Faes; Justin, Winks, Ndidi, Mavididi; Fatawu, Dewsbury-Hall; Vardy.
• Foxes used a 3-4-2-1 formation consistent with pre-match predictions. The midfield double-pivot of Winks and Ndidi aimed to control possession.

Manchester United confirmed lineup

• The Standard (London-based news outlet) reported Manchester United’s XI: Onana; De Ligt, Lindelof, Heaven; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dalot; Garnacho, Eriksen, Hojlund – using a three-at-the-back structure.
• However, OneFootball listed a different XI for the same match: Onana; Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro; Dalot, Ugarte, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mainoo, Diallo; Hojlund, with Garnacho dropped. This discrepancy highlights the risk of relying on a single source before official kickoff.

Substitutes used

• According to FotMob (live-score platform), Manchester United brought on Garnacho, Mainoo and Casemiro in the second half, while Leicester introduced Daka, Praet and Soumaré.
• Substitutions reflected both managers’ attempts to change the game: United looked for fresh attacking legs, Leicester chased an equaliser.

The implication: always cross-reference multiple sources for lineup confirmation.

What are the head-to-head stats between Leicester City and Manchester United?

Recent meetings in 2024/25 season

Two Premier League meetings in 2024/25, one pattern: Manchester United dominated both matches.

United’s 3-0 victory in November was their biggest win of the season against Leicester; the March match was a tighter contest decided by a second-half goal.

All-time head-to-head record

• In the Premier League era, Manchester United hold the advantage with 26 wins to Leicester’s 10 in 44 meetings (Premier League).
• Leicester’s last league win at Old Trafford came in May 2021 (2-1). Since then, United have won three of four home clashes.
• Goals scored in the 2024/25 season: Manchester United 5, Leicester City 1 across all competitions.

The pattern: Manchester United’s ability to switch between 3-4-2-1 and 3-4-3 gives them tactical unpredictability. Leicester, by contrast, have stuck with a consistent shape but lacked the finishing edge to overturn deficits.

The takeaway: squad depth and tactical flexibility have been decisive factors.

Timeline of recent encounters

• 2024/25 season – first meeting: November 10, 2024 – Manchester United 3-0 Leicester City (Premier League). United dominated from the start; Bruno Fernandes scored twice.
• 2024/25 season – second meeting: March 16, 2025 – Manchester United 2-1 Leicester City (Premier League). A close match decided by a Hojlund goal in the 68th minute.
• 2023/24 season: Leicester City in the Championship; no senior fixtures between the sides.
• 2022/23 season: Manchester United 3-0 Leicester City; Leicester City 0-1 Manchester United (Premier League). United won both.

Quotes from match reports

“The confirmed lineups show both teams adopting three-at-the-back formations, a tactical choice that prioritised defensive solidity over attacking width.”

The Standard (London-based news outlet)

“Manchester United’s 3-4-2-1 shape gave them numerical superiority in midfield, a key factor in their 2-1 win at the King Power Stadium.”

Premier League match report

“Alejandro Garnacho was dropped from the starting XI, a decision that raised eyebrows given his form in previous matches.”

OneFootball (football news platform)

For Leicester City, the takeaway is stark: despite a spirited performance, they were undone by a single moment of quality from United’s bench. For Manchester United fans, the consistency of the 3-4-2-1 shape—used in both league meetings—suggests a settled tactical identity under the manager. The clear consequence for Leicester is that they must find a way to compete with Premier League’s upper half, or risk watching the gap widen season after season.

For a deeper look at how these two teams have set up in the past, you can explore the historic encounters between the sides in our detailed historical breakdown.

Frequently asked questions