Goals from Robin Van Persie, Falcao and an own goal from Leicester City captain Wes Morgan were enough for Manchester United to comfortably ease past the Foxes at Old Trafford, despite Marcin Wasilewski's late consolation goal.
The Red Devils hosted bottom-of-the-table Leicester for the first time since Nigel Pearson's side won in a dramatic 5-3 victory at the KP Stadium back in September. After a slow start from the home side, where United had plenty of possession, they burst into life mid-way through the first half. In the 27th minute, Andrej Kramaric gave the ball away on his own end to Daley Blind who surged forward and then sent an exceptional chipped pass to Dutchman Van Persie who smashed it back across goal and into the bottom corner with a brilliantly taken first-time volley to give the home side the lead.
In a span of just a few minutes, United doubled their league when in the 32nd minute, Van Persie picked up the ball inside his own half before playing Di Maria behind the defense. After the Argentine saw his shot saved by Mark Schwarzer, Colombian forward Radamel Falcao followed up on the rebound to score his first goal for Manchester United since New Year's Day against Stoke City.
United would get one more goal before the half as Rooney's corner kick was flicked smartly to Blind and Wes Morgan puts it into his own net as he cannot react quick enough with his scrambled header. In the second half, United almost scored a fourth goal when Rooney set up Falcao for a tap in, only for his shot to be too strong, flying over the Leicester net.
Despite the deficit, the away side had their close chance to pull one back in the 65th minute as David Nugent got past Phil Jones to go one on one, only for David De Gea to stick a strong hand to prevent Nugent's goalbound effort from getting past him.
Leicester did eventually get one back. Marc Albrighton kept possession from a corner on the right before sending a lovely ball across goal to Polish defender Marcin Wasilewski to head home his first goal in three years after Phil Jones' horrible marking loses track of the centre-back in the 80th minute.
Wasilewski had another as he headed down a ball into the path of Marc Albrighton, only for the subsitute's half volley to go soaring over the ball that could've easily put Leicester back into the match, but it didn't happen and United held on to get their victory and to soar over Southampton into 3rd in the Premier League, 4 points from rivals Manchester City and 9 from Chelsea.
United's next match will be midweek against Cambridge United at home in a replay of the FA Cup Fourth Round match from last Friday, while Leicester continue to sit bottom into the relegation zone and host Crystal Palace next Saturday.
| Manchester United (3) | Leicester City (1) | ||
 |  |  | |
| De Gea | 6 | Schwarzer | 6 |
| Valencia | 6 | Simpson | 6 |
| Jones | 7 | Morgan(OG) | 6 |
| Rojo | 7 | Wasilewski | 7 |
| Shaw | 7 | Laet | 6 |
| Blind | 8 | Vardy | 6 |
| Rooney | 7 | Drinkwater | 5 |
| Januzaj | 7 | King | 6 |
| Van Persie | 8 | Schlupp | 6 |
| Di Maria | 6 | Ulloa | 6 |
| Falcao | 7 | Kramaric | 5 |
| Remplaçants | |||
| Mata | 6 | Cambiasso | 6 |
| Wilson | 6 | Nugent | 6 |
| McNair | 6 | Albrighton | 6 |