U23s Report: Manchester United 1 Leicester City 0

- Demetri Mitchell netted a well-taken lob with just three minutes left on the clock 

- Ritchie De Laet, Liam Moore, Gökhan Inler, Matty James, Bartosz Kapustka and Tom Lawrence all featured for City 

- The Foxes next face Sunderland at King Power Stadium on Monday 22 August (7pm KO) 

A late strike from Demetri Mitchell saw Leicester City’s Development Squad narrowly defeated by Manchester United in their Premier League 2 opener at Leigh Sports Village on Monday evening. 

The Foxes were on top throughout the majority of the game and looked good value for at least a point as they aimed to kick-off their 2016/17 Premier League 2 campaign with a positive result. 

Steve Beaglehole’s outfit had opportunities to take the lead either side of the break, but Manchester United struck with just three minutes to play to register a victory. 

It was substitute Demetri Mitchell who was on target for Warren Joyce’s outfit, as he raced onto a long ball and side-footed over the onrushing Daniel Iversen to find the back of the net. 

The Foxes fielded an experienced starting XI, as Bartosz Kapustka, Matty James, Ritchie De Laet, Gökhan Inler, Liam Moore and Tom Lawrence all featured at Leigh. 

City started brightly in the sun at Leigh Sports Village, with Inler and James both sending efforts wide of the mark from distance. 

A beautifully-weighted pass from Kapustka found a good run from Admiral Muskwe shortly after, and the young striker was unfortunate not to break the deadlock, as he forced Sam Johnstone into a good stop at the front post on eight minutes. 

Stopper Iversen made his first save of the game with 18 minutes on the clock, as the Denmark youth international did well to hold onto Cameron Borthwick-Jackson’s fierce effort from range. 

Kapustka’s deflected shot then fell into the path of Muskwe on 26 minutes, but the Man Utd defence somehow kept out the frontman through a combination of stopper Johnstone and defender Regan Poole. 

Lawrence curled just over nine minutes later, before turning provider to set up De Laet, who nodded the Welshman’s corner wide of the mark as the game approached half-time. 

Iversen was on hand with a low save to deny Joshua Harrop early on in the second period, while Johnstone turn away Liam Moore's effort with an instinctive save at the other end just moments later. 

The creative Lawrence then saw his low cross deflect off Poole, and it would have certainly found the net if it were not for a good save from Johnstone just after the hour mark. 

Inler volleyed Lawrence’s corner wide with 69 minutes gone, before Johnstone parried Kairo Mitchell’s drive to safety with just over 10 minutes to play. 

But despite City's dominance, it was the hosts who would go on to claim all three points, as Demetri Mitchell sent a stunning lob over Iversen from distance with just three minutes to play. 

The substitute’s well-taken effort left City with little time to respond, and while Beaglehole’s outfit pressed for an equaliser in the late stages, they couldn’t break down Manchester United’s resilient defence. 

Attentions now turn to the Development Squad’s first home fixture of the season – a clash with Sunderland at King Power Stadium on Monday 22 August (7pm kick-off). 

MAN UTD: Johnstone, Riley, Poole, Tuanzebe, Borthwick-Jackson, Olosunde (D. Mitchell 69), Harrop, Redmond, Weir (c), Willock, Kehinde 

SUBS NOT USED: Henderson, Callum Whelan, Scott, Tanner 

GOAL: D. Mitchell 87 

CITY: Iversen, De Laet, E. Moore (c), L. Moore, Wood, Inler, James, Kapustka, Lawrence, K. Mitchell, Muskwe (Ndukwu 63) 

SUBS NOT USED: Johnson, Bramley, Miles, Barnes 

REFEREE: Tom Nield