Jadon Sancho scored the only goal of the game as Manchester United beat Leicester City 1-0 at the King Power Stadium on Thursday for their third straight win.
After a stuttering start to the season, Erik Ten Hag's side went into the game on the back of Premier League wins over Liverpool and Southampton and saw captain Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo drop out of the starting XI for the third game in a row.
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United hit Leicester on the quick counter-attack midway through the first half when Marcus Rashford slipped the ball through the visitors' back line to Sancho, who took his first touch to round goalkeeper Danny Ward before slotting the ball into an empty net with his second. movement.
James Maddison went close for Leicester with a superb free-kick that brought out an excellent save from United's David De Gea, but the home side struggled to create chances.
The opening seemed to lift the visitors' confidence and they pushed forward for the remainder of the opening 45 minutes. No second goal came and United took a 1-0 lead into the break.
The Hag brought on Casemiro for Anthony Elanga in the summer just before the hour mark as United held on to their lead and Leicester chased an equaliser.
Ronaldo, who did not leave the club before the end of the transfer window on Thursday, came on for Sancho shortly afterwards and looked lively, setting up Rashford's chance in the 82nd minute before diving over Ward's far post minutes later.
"We need a good team and we needed numbers," Ten Hag said after the game. "There are a lot of games to cover. Once Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro are fit, it will be even better - we need not just a team, but a squad."
Leicester had a late chance to equalise, but full-back James Justin fired high and wide from a promising position on the right as United collected back-to-back wins.
Man United move into fifth place in the Premier League with nine points for the remainder of the game - one ahead of rivals Liverpool in the table - while winless Leicester are last with just one point from their opening five games.
Leicester lost key defender Wesley Fofana to Chelsea but manager Brendan Rodgers was delighted to replace him with Belgian Wout Faes from Reims and to keep Harvey Barnes and Maddison despite interest.
"There were questions early on in the window about Barnes and Maddison. We couldn't lose too much. We were low in terms of depth and quality. Fortunately they are still here," Rodgers said after the game.
"Ideally we needed two centre-halves. When Wesley left we needed a replacement for him. Wout is an experienced player, a leader. He will come in and give us that personality. We are delighted he has joined us."
