Ruud van Nistelrooy has a reputation for delivering goals at Old Trafford and he lived up to that in his first game as Manchester United interim boss. The shackles were off and the big guns were back firing as United began the post-Erik ten Hag era with a bang. The tone was set pre-match.
Van Nistelrooy promised United would "get the crowd going" and did his best to help from the sidelines, revving up the stadium as he emerged from the tunnel, perhaps hoping to replicate another former striker turned interim. Just as in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's first game in charge, United scored five goals, a feat they managed just once under Ten Hag, as they marched past Leicester into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. A weight, it seemed, was lifted.
For now, anyway. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Carabao Cup quarter-final draw Tottenham vs Man Utd Arsenal vs Crystal Palace Newcastle vs Brentford Southampton vs Liverpool Ties to be played week commencing December 16 Goals had often been hard to come by in the Ten Hag era. After his sacking on Monday a stat went viral revealing United's shocking goal difference under the Dutchman.
Man City topped the list on +134, Liverpool had +85, while United sat way back on +11. Trending This was no post-Jose Mourinho liberation, but it certainly felt different. The pressure was off.
Most notably against Leicester, it was the experienced players who stood up. Captain Bruno Fernandes, previously without a goal all season, and Ca.