Ruud van Nistelrooy has a reputation for scoring goals at Old Trafford and he lived up to it in his first game as interim boss of Manchester United.
The barricades were loose and the big guns were firing back as United began the post-Erik ten Hag era with a bang.
The tone was set even before the match. Van Nistelrooy promised that United would “bring the crowd together” and did his best to help from the sidelines, as he came out of the tunnel he rebuilt the stadium, perhaps hoping to repeat what another former striker had done in the interim. Were staying.
In Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game in charge, United scored five goals, a feat they have achieved just once under Ten Hag, as they eased past Leicester to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. It seemed as if a weight had been lifted. For now, anyway.
Goals were often difficult to achieve in the Ten Hag era. A picture went viral following his dismissal on Monday which revealed United’s shocking goal difference under the Dutchman. Man City top the list with +134, Liverpool are at the top with +85, while United are close behind with +11.
It wasn’t the liberation of Jose Mourinho, but it certainly felt different. The pressure was off.
Particularly against Leicester, it was the experienced players who stood out. Captain Bruno Fernandes, who had previously not scored a goal all season, and Casemiro, who had often been overlooked by the previous manager, scored twice at Old Trafford, providing the standout moments of the night.
Had it not been for Casemiro’s attacking flair from distance, United were in danger of slipping back into the bad habits of the last few months. It was a rocket of a comeback to get them all up and into life after a disappointing start to the proceedings.
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Casemiro gives Man Utd lead with brilliant top-corner strike that Van Nistelrooy would be proud of
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Bruno Fernandes made the most of Caleb Okolie’s poor back pass to put Manchester United 5-2 ahead against Leicester City.
Once United got going, Fernandes regained his enthusiasm. He was again in tight situations, finding goals, creating chances and constantly causing trouble. what is he good at.
The captain finished second in terms of touches (78) and chances created (4), while registering more passes into the final third than anyone else on the pitch (25). Out of possession, Fernandes wins the ball back in the final third (3) more than the rest of United’s starters.
On paper, this system was largely a continuation of what we had seen under Ten Hag, but there was a sense of independence. It seems to suit Fernandes.
Fernandes and Casemiro take center stage at Old Trafford
It might have been a different story had his free-kick not been deflected off James Justin for his first goal. It looked as though Fernandes’ effort would otherwise have been easily saved by Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward. This was the luck he needed.
The feelgood factor was back at Old Trafford
It felt just like United’s night. Casemiro’s second goal bounced off both posts and landed squarely near him. Leicester were convinced that Garnacho was offside for his strike. And it so happened that this time VAR was not in use.
‘Where was this good fortune before?’, Ten Hag is probably asking from a distance.
Van Nistelrooy also admitted this after the game. “We scored some great goals; the first goal was a beautiful shot from Casemiro. But I have to say that we also had some luck.
“Five goals but we created a lot more big chances against West Ham, Fenerbahce and Brentford. Suddenly we had some luck on our side, which made it a great day.”
The reaction to Ten Hag’s dismissal, although inevitable, raises a serious question: is this what these players need to play?
Over the past 10 years, since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down, a cycle has set in where players in poor form suddenly feel like they are fighting for their future.
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Van Nistelrooy highlighted Casemiro’s on-pitch presence when reacting to his debut win against Leicester in the Carabao Cup.
Five permanent managers have been looking for this kind of reaction, so that when the next guy walks in the door they will know and he has already been thrown on the dustbin.
The sacking of Ten Hag appeared to be the only solution to stop United’s poor start to the season. Fourteenth place in the Premier League table after nine matches is clearly not good enough. However, it is not the answer to all their problems.
Leicester’s defeat is the result of a team responding to a shock. nothing more. Ruben Amorim, the man expected to replace Ten Hag, has yet to do all this. This is an impossible task.
