Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge of his first game as Manchester United’s interim manager. a resounding 5-2 Carabao Cup victory Against weakened Leicester at Old Trafford. Telegram Sports He follows the rule of how the Dutchman handled the incident.

body language

He could have been the Milk Tray man on the touchline. Wearing a matching dark designer coat, turtleneck sweater and trousers, Van Nistelrooy cut a lovely figure and looked every inch an executive to impress. While Erik ten Hag had generally remained quiet and reserved, at least until late when the pressure began to mount, United’s interim manager was not afraid to show his emotions.

Whether he was rallying his defense to challenge himself and play on a higher line, or enthusiastically celebrating United’s goals, Van Nistelrooy looked more animated throughout the 90 minutes than he had during much of Ten Hag’s 128-game reign, and even managed to laugh and joke with his Leicester side He succeeded. his counterpart Steve Cooper at one point. “What a hit!” The beaming Dutchman said as he reveled in Casemiro’s dazzling opening: Arms in the air, fists shaking; It was clear that he was determined to enjoy every goal. This was a man who was insecure.

crowd reaction

Old Trafford has not been a happy stadium this season. It has been an uneasy, disappointing place, where disappointment and despair sometimes turn into indifference. Poor performances or ridicule regarding some of Ten Hag’s substitutions were not uncommon. The full-time chants here were not boos but screams of “Ruud”. Van Nistelrooy’s name was mentioned by the Stretford End at various times throughout the match; United fans were warmly embracing the respected former striker, who scored 150 goals in 219 appearances for the club.

Van Nistelrooy was delighted to receive applause from the Stretford End when the final whistle blew; He raised both arms in the air in front of his adoring fans and eventually disappeared down the tunnel. It brought back memories of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first spell as caretaker following the sacking of Jose Mourinho. Sir Alex Ferguson, watching from his seat in the directors’ box, looked happy.

tactics

United fielded the same 4-2-3-1 formation favored by Ten Hag, but Van Nistelrooy started with two number 6s in Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte to give the team some more steel in midfield. Leicester made 10 changes from the team that lost 3-1 to Nottingham Forest last Friday, so it wasn’t the strongest opposition, but there was more urgency, pace and aggression in United’s play than we’ve seen in a long time. hot campaign so far.

United moved the ball quicker, there was more interaction and quicker passes. On several occasions Van Nistelrooy called his assistant Rene Hake from the dugout for a discussion. He was at his most disgruntled after a lack of communication allowed Leicester to claim a cheap second after a simple free-kick.

substitution

Ten Hag never seemed to have much confidence in Amad Diallo, but it was notable how often Van Nistelrooy warmly applauded the Ivory Coast winger from the touchline, who came on in the second half to replace Marcus Rashford, especially at full-time after an acrobatic whistling overhead kick. wide.

Van Nistelrooy hugged each player as they arrived and gave a brief pep talk to the players he brought in, including junior Ethan Wheatley. Rashford, Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho were ruled out well before the end of the game, with Sunday’s visit to Chelsea in mind.

From whom did he get the melody?

Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro scored twice each and looked happier and more energized than at any stage this season as they ran riot against Leicester. Ugarte was also impressive as another midfielder; The Uruguayan set the tone for his performance with his high pressure in the first minute and when he won the tackle. Joshua Zirkzee still looked a bit short but Alejandro Garnacho was a persistent threat and finished quite superbly from Diogo Dalot’s cross.

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