Honest Van Gaal blasts '60-minute' United performance

United raced into a 3-1 lead thanks to goals from Robin van Persie, Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria, who chipped Kasper Schmeichel with a delightful goal in the 16th minute before Leonardo Ulloa fired in a header.

Marcos Rojo missed a clear header from four yards and full debutant Radamel Falcao struck the bar, but Van Gaal's team then went to pieces.

Jamie Vardy and Estebian Cambiasso found the net after some terrible defending while David Nugent and Ulloa also scored penalties to seal the Foxes' first home win over the Red Devils in 29 years.

[READ THE FULL BLOW-BY-BLOW REPORT: WHO WAS MAN OF THE MATCH?]

After enjoying such a comprehensive win over QPR last week, Van Gaal found the defeat at the King Power Stadium hard to take.

"We started the last match against QPR very good with a new team, new players and then we played very well here, but we gave the game away," the United manager said.

"Leicester had five shots on goal, and that was it. These five goals were existing because we made errors in ball possession.

"We created a lot of chances and made superb goals but you have to do that over 90 minutes, not 60 minutes. It was not enough today.

"You have to kill the game and we didn't do that."

United lacked the energy to mount a comeback late on as Van Gaal was forced to withdraw Falcao and Di Maria through fatigue.

"I had to change Falcao, not because he was bad - he played very well - but because I have to build (his fitness) up. That is my problem," Van Gaal said.

"Di Maria also had a problem."

Van Gaal refused to criticise referee Mark Clattenburg for awarding the penalty against Rafael even though the Brazilian was fouled by Vardy in the build up.

"It was only 3-2 at the time, that was not a problem," he said.

"The problem was we did not keep ball possession."

Van Gaal's opposite number Nigel Pearson lauded his players after their historic win.

The Leicester boss reserved special praise for Cambiasso, who starred on his first start since moving to the Midlands club on a free transfer from Inter Milan.

Pearson said: "He had a very profound influence on the game.

"It's never easy for a player with such high expectations on him to come in against a side like Manchester United and run the show.

"Before today he had played 45 minutes of competitive football for us. He brings know-how, experience and quality."

Well, that absolute corker of an afternoon game certainly spun on a sixpence, didn't it?

United were somewhat pole-axed by an admittedly harsh first penalty decision at 3-1, but everything from there was inexcusable on their part.

The way the game was going before Nugent pulled one back from the penalty spot, it's hard to believe Cambiasso's equaliser - or anything else from the Foxes - would have come.

But, it underlines just how fragile United remain, especially at the back. Worse, a game like this will do nothing for their bid to restore some of their 'fear factor'

No doubt the signings of players such as Falcao and Di Maria came with the hopes that teams would begin to fear facing Man Utd once more, as many sides the size and stature of Leicester did for years.

After seeing this, United's future opponents know that bringing the work-rate and intent of a Leicester, as opposed to being as meek and submissive as QPR were, could well be enough for a big scalp.

"Football, bloody hell.

"It was difficult to think of anything other than that famous Sir Alex Ferguson quote to sum up a truly remarkable match.

"From being 2-0 ahead early and 3-1 up with less than half an hour remaining, Manchester United conceded five times on a chastening day when they were run ragged by Jamie Vardy a striker who, almost three years ago to the day, was sent off for Fleetwood Town in a Conference game against Kidderminster Harriers.

"By the time the fourth official signalled that there would be six minutes of added time, Leicester’s supporters were chanting we want six” and Louis van Gaal was wearing the haunted expression of man who could not believe what had unfolded in front of him.

"A £150m summer spending spree has delivered a galáctico forward line for United but somebody forget to mention the defence could do with a helping hand. United were a shambles at the back. Leicester, to their immense credit, took full advantage."