If Manchester United interim manager, Ralf Rangnick is looking for a reason for the failure of his team to beat Leicester City on Saturday, April 2, Anthony Elanga and Marcus Rashford could be the reason.
On the said date, Leicester City visited Old Trafford to play against Manchester United which are desperately in need of a UEFA Champions League spot.
Unfortunately for the hosts, Leicester City took the lead in the 63rd minute thanks to a strike from Kelechi Iheanacho.
Three minutes after the match opener, Manchester United were able to bounce back with a 66th-minute equalizer via the boots of Fred.
James Maddison almost won the game for Leicester City but the Video Assistant Referee canceled the goal due to a foul on Raphael Varane.
In 90 minutes, Manchester United which were without Cristiano Ronaldo recorded 11 shots, five of which were on target. While the visitors recorded 11 shots, three of which were on target.
Manchester United almost stole a late winner when Marcus Rashford was able to create space for himself in Leicester City’s eighteen-yard-box. When he made his way to a shooting position and was about to shoot, Anthony Elanga who thought Rashford would leave the ball for him also tried to score at the same time.
Unfortunately for Manchester United, Anthony Elanga ended up clearing the legs of Rashford off the ball. The two players fell on the pitch leaving the ball to roll to the waiting hands of Leicester City goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel.
The funny part was that Anthony Elanga was already offside when Rashford got to a goalscoring position. But based on the visuals from the match, the 19-year-old Swedish winger did not know that Rashford was about to shoot the same ball he wanted to shoot.
Also, Rashford might have probably seen that Elanga was offside and did not want him to shoot the ball because the goal could be counted as an offside.
The funniest aspect of the incident was that Manchester United penalty taker, Bruno Fernandes ran to the referee, Andre Marrine, to urge the referee to give United a penalty for Anthony Elanga’s foul on Marcus Rashford.
Instead of listening to Fernandes’ hilarious plead, the referee followed the linesman’s call by declaring the whole incident an offside against Elanga.
Manchester United had the chance to win it in the 95th minute. Anthony Elanga decided to tackle Marcus Rashford instead 🙃
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) April 3, 2022
Complete calamity from the Red Devils.#PL #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/XRNKuw8VSy
Hence, the match ended in a 1-1 draw which left Manchester United on the 6th spot with 51 points in 30 games, equal points with 5th placed Tottenham Hotspur which have a game in hand. United are three points below 4th placed Arsenal which have two games in hand.
The stats of Anthony Elanga and Marcus Rashford at Manchester United this season
So far this season Anthony Elanga who reportedly earns 5,500 pounds per week at Manchester United has scored 8 goals and provided three assists in 29 games in all competitions.
Elanga’s contract with Manchester United will expire on June 30, 2026. His current transfer market value is 15 million euros.
On the other hand, Marcus Rashford who is reportedly earning 240,000 euros per week at Manchester United has scored 5 goals and provided 2 assists in 27 games in all competitions this season.
Rashford’s contract with Manchester United will expire on June 30, 2023. His transfer market value is 70 million euros.
