Manchester United 4-1 Leicester City: Premier League - as it happened

That is all for this particular live blog, but stay with IBTimes UK for coverage of Liverpool vs Hull in addition to all five other mid-afternoon kick-offs including Tottenham's trip to Middlesbrough and Swansea vs Manchester City.

Sports editor Nick Howson is also your man this evening for that eagerly anticipated and high-profile clash betweenLondon rivals Arsenal and Chelsea. Goodbye for now.

So an emphatic win for Manchester United to allay the concerns of some fans after much hand-wringing in the aftermath of those three consecutive defeats.

They ran riot in the first half courtesy of some truly horrific Leicester defending, although Mourinho may be disappointed with a slightly lacklustre second 45 in which the visitors, boosted by the introduction of Gray, briefly threatened to make things interesting.

Both of these sides return to European action this week, with Leicester entertaining Porto and United welcoming a little-known quantity in Ukrainian top-flight side Zorya Luhansk to Old Trafford in the Europa League.

Full-time

Manchester United 4-1 Leicester

Carrick looks to release Valencia down that right-hand flank but the linesman flags for offside. The final whistle sounds.

Herrera sports a bit of a limp after a late coming together with Amartey. United are just playing keep ball now as home supporters stream out of Old Trafford on all sides.

The away fans, to their credit, remain in fine voice despite a sobering afternoon.

Three minutes of added time signalled by the fourth official.

Mata looks to tee up Ibrahimovic for a fifth United goal, but Simpson does well to get across and block.

Mourinho's last available substitution sees Mata, still yet to complete 90 minutes under the new regime, make way for Ashley Young.

Rooney is barracked by the away supporters as he comes on for Rashford.

Zieler shows good hands to hold a hopeful drive from Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic makes his presence felt in his own box by heading away a corner and diverting Drinkwater's subsequent shot wide. Blind clears the next delivery and United retain their three-goal advantage as we head into the final 10 minutes.

Valencia fires a cross towards Ibrahimovic that is too powerful for the Swede to contest.

At the other end, the confident Gray chances his arm with a daring effort from the left that is tipped over by De Gea.

Mourinho turns to his bench for the first time this afternoon, sending on Carrick for his 500th league appearance in place of Lingard.

The impressive Pogba does well to release Ibrahimovic, but he is quickly flagged for offside. Herrera then shoots over after Leicester fail to adequately clear Blind's corner.

Simpson is cautioned for bringing down Rashford.

Ranieri made his third and final change a few minutes ago, introducing Jeff Schlupp in place of Albrighton. The former United trialist almost latches on to a clever flick from Slimani, but De Gea is alert to gather.

He then pulls the ball back for fellow substitute King, who shoots tamely at the goalkeeper from a good position.

20 minutes remaining at Old Trafford.

United suddenly spark into the life as Lingard fires Herrera's cutback over the crossbar under pressure from Gray.

He then turns provider for Ibrahimovic, who sees a bending low shot tipped round the post by Zieler.

Not that it really matters too much in the grand scheme of things, but United are looking a little sluggish again here as we approach the hour mark.

Leicester, knowing that a second goal now might at least make Mourinho sweat a little, remain on the front foot and Fuchs sees a half-volley blocked.

It's extremely unlikely to spark any kind of incredible second-half comeback, but Leicester reduce the deficit courtesy of a smashing strike from substitute Gray.

The 20-year-old winger cuts inside from the left and shrugs off the attentions of Lingard before rifling an unstoppable right-footed effort past De Gea and into the top corner from 25 yards.

That was special.

Goal: Manchester United 4-1 Leicester (Demarai Gray)

Leicester welcome Portuguese giants FC Porto to the East Midlands on Tuesday evening, of course....

Albrighton gives the ball away in a dangerous area and Huth reacts well to just divert Pogba's cross away from the head of Ibrahimovic.

Unsurprisingly given that big lead, United appear content to hold possession here and invite Leicester to come and get the ball. Huth receives the first yellow card of the afternoon for a heavy late challenge on Pogba.

The second half is off and running. Two changes from Ranieri, who sends on Andy King and Demarai Gray. Mahrez and Vardy are the casualties of that first-half horror show.

While we wait for the second half to begin, here's more on Mourinho's decision to omit Rooney from his starting XI.

Crisis, what crisis?

United admittedly looked poor defensively in the early stages of this contest, but have since blitzed the beleaguered champions with four goals - three of which came in the space of just five minutes.

Three have also come from set-pieces, which will infuriate Ranieri given how well his side defended and indeed attacked such opportunities during their incredible title-winning campaign.

This match is already far beyond them and Leicester will need to make changes quickly to avoid further humiliation.

Half-time

Manchester United 4-0 Leicester

Two minutes of added time to come at the end of this first half. Leicester are being quite simply hammered.

This is quickly becoming an absolute embarrassment for Leicester, who are being utterly humiliated at set-pieces.

Amartey sleeps on a short corner to Mata, who rolls the ball into the six-yard box for Rashford to blast in from close range.

As if that was not quite bad enough, Blind's next delivery is headed home by Pogba. Poor marking from Fuchs.

Goal: Manchester United 4-0 Leicester (Paul Pogba)

Goal: Manchester United 3-0 Leicester (Marcus Rashford)

United have been full of adventure since taking the lead and they extend their advantage 10 minutes before half-time with a truly fantastic team goal.

After an extended build-up involving most of their outfield players, Mata passes to Pogba and his chip is touched back into the Spaniard's path by a lovely flick from Lingard.

Mata then fires past Zieler and into the bottom corner. Brilliant.

Goal: Manchester United 2-0 Leicester (Juan Mata)

Mahrez's attempted cross is picked up by De Gea before, at the other end, Drinkwater races back to make a vital interception that denies Rashford.

Pogba tries his luck with a bending shot from distance that Zieler has to be alert to beat away from danger. The home supporters are clearly delighted with what they are seeing from their side so far today.

Leicester are rocking at the moment and need to settle down in order to avoid going further behind. Rashford puts a bicycle kick over the crossbar before Pogba bamboozles the visiting defence with a deft chip that Ibrahimovic takes on the chest before volleying narrowly over.

What a goal that would have been.

United could double their lead, but Rashford provides an uncharacteristically ugly finish at the end of an otherwise wonderful counter-attack that saw him released by Ibrahimovic after an incisive pass from Herrera.

After seeing a cross from the left deflected behind by Danny Simpson, Blind delivers a dangerous corner that stand-in captain Smalling emphatically heads home after soaring high above the trio of Huth, Fuchs and Slimani.

United have the lead.

Goal: Manchester United 1-0 Leicester (Chris Smalling)

Leicester are really gaining a foothold in this clash now and United, not for the first time over the last week, do not look entirely convincing defensively. After another corner, Valencia blocks a fierce attempt from Danny Drinkwater, the England midfielder speculatively linked with a big-money move to Old Trafford in midweek.

Pogba then registers a block of his own on the edge of the box before Morgan touches it on for centre-back Huth, who can only blaze high and wide on the half-volley.

Leicester battle hard against the retreating Ibrahimovic in midfield and Fuchs has a long-range shot blocked. Some unconvincing defending from Valencia then sees the ball fall kindly for Albrighton, but his cross towards Slimani is easily intercepted by David de Gea.

Undeterred, the Foxes come back to win a corner but Albrighton's near-post delivery is headed away before Huth's effort cannons back off the defender.

United are controlling the early stages of this match. Pogba feeds Ibrahimovic, who tries to release the pacy Rashford with a through ball that is just overhit and runs through to a grateful Zieler.

Fuchs concedes a corner that has to be punched away from danger by Zieler. Mata keeps the attack alive with a searching cross from the right that is headed away by Huth before being hooked over by Ibrahimovic.

The first shot in anger comes from United. After Antonio Valencia's cross is headed away by Leicester skipper Wes Morgan, Blind takes a touch before producing a speculative left-footed drive that sails over the crossbar.

Referee Mike Dean gets the weekend's opening Premier League kick-off underway. United, wearing their usual red home shirts, white shorts and black socks, are kicking from left to right in this first half.

Leicester are decked out all in blue.

10 minutes remaining until kick-off at Old Trafford.

A typically understated Ranieri, meanwhile, insisted that his side hold no fear ahead of today's trip. The eccentric Italian was famously replaced by Mourinho at Chelsea back in 2004, but the two men now appear to have settled their differences after some notable animosity.

"We are fearless. Why are we scared to go there? More than lose, what can we do there? I enjoy [the atmosphere]. Amazing, fantastic. When you play these big teams, you don't have an advantage, you have to think about yourself and be strong, and that moment show your football. You hope for the bad moment and try to score a goal. We try to win. This is our philosophy, then if Manchester are better than us that is okay."

On his opposite number, he added: "It's prehistoric, not now. It [their relationship] is fantastic, very good, no problems, why? Do you remember in the summer when we had the Soccer Aid, I managed the Rest of the World team against Jose's English side.

"It [the issues] was a long time ago, I'm okay. All managers have a lot of jobs to do. It's normal, he's a great manager and a fantastic person. Maybe he has to offer me a good red wine. I love red wine and if he offers I will go and drink it with him. Mourinho is a fantastic manager, intelligent, clever."

Mourinho has been speaking on that decision to leave out Rooney....

"I knew the question would come, but I think the question should be that we have two young English players in the starting line-up," he was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

"Lingard and Rashford are quick, the game is going to be intense and fast; we need fast players around Zlatan today. The last thing I want to do as a manager is hurt players or create negative situations - in a normal country with a normal media I would say, '23 players, lost of matches to play, fresh people, we have another match on Thursday'. It is just a normal decision."

The visitors, still missing Schmeichel amid fears that he will be kept out for up to three weeks, are unchanged from that straightforward defeat of newly-promoted Burnley.

Christian Fuchs, Robert Huth, Daniel Amartey, Riyad Mahrez, Marc Albrighton, Jamie Vardy and record signing Islam Slimani all return to the starting XI after being rotated for the EFL Cup.

So Rooney is indeed benched, but surprisingly his place is not taken by Carrick. Instead, Mourinho partners Ander Herrera with Paul Pogba and elects to play a trio of Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and the in-form Marcus Rashford behind Ibrahimovic. Vice-skipper Chris Smalling dons the captain's armband.

Shaw and Mkhitaryan remain sidelined along with Martial, while Marouane Fellaini also drops out. The versatile Daley Blind comes in at left-back.

Leicester: Zieler, Simpson, Huth, Morgan (c), Fuchs, Mahrez, Drinkwater, Amartey, Albrighton, Slimani, Vardy

Subs: Hamer, Hernández, King, Schlupp, Okazaki, Gray, Ulloa

Manchester United: De Gea, Valencia, Smalling (c), Bailly, Blind, Pogba, Herrera, Lingard, Mata, Rashford, Ibrahimovic

Subs: Romero, Fosu-Mensah, Rojo, Carrick, Fellaini, Young, Rooney

It's finally happening, folks....

As for Leicester, Ranieri is hopeful of having first-choice goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel back between the posts this afternoon after he missed the 3-0 win over Burnley and that eventful defeat to Chelsea with a minor concussion. However, former United stopper Ron-Robert Zieler could continue to deputise depending on the status of a groin muscle strain suffered by his rival during training on Thursday.

Both Matty James and summer signing Nampalys Mendy are sidelined with ankle issues, while defender Marcin Wasilewski serves a one-match ban following that midweek sending off.

Before we get official confirmation of today's teams, let's run through some injury news.

United will definitely be without Anthony Martial due to what Mourinho has described as a "contusion in the calf and in the ankle area." The French forward also missed Wednesday's 3-1 victory at Sixfields after suffering a nasty clash of heads during the defeat to Watford.

Phil Jones remains out with a knee ligament injury, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Luke Shaw - who was somewhat unfairly singled out by his manager in the aftermath of that shock defeat to the Hornets - will be hoping to start after thigh and groin problems respectively.

Unconfirmed reports on Twitter are also suggesting that captain Wayne Rooney, harshly chastised by supporters for his performances over recent weeks but seemingly immune from criticism from Mourinho and former teammates in the media, is to be dropped and replaced in midfield by Michael Carrick. We shall see if that rings true....

What a day to be in Manchester. Later on tonight the city's favourite boxing son and noted United fan Anthony Crolla seeks to defend his WBA lightweight belt in a tough, blockbuster unification battle against Jorge Linares, but first we pay a lunchtime visit to Old Trafford where Jose Mourinho's side are hoping to avoid the ignominy of a third consecutive Premier League defeat against defending champions Leicester.

Stay with IBTimes UK for a preview of this heavyweight clash, breaking team news and confirmed lineups. Regular updates will also follow after kick-off at 12.30 BST.