MANCHESTER UNITED interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy needed less than an hour to best former manager Erik ten Hag on his debut at the helm.
Van Nistelrooy, 48, took over at the United hotseat on a temporary basis following Sunday’s 2-1 loss at West Ham under Ten Hag which extended the club’s worst ever Premier League start.
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The club legend oversaw the Red Devils’ Carabao Cup clash with Leicester in the Round of 16 at Old Trafford on Wednesday and led them to an impressive 5-2 win.
The former striker saw his team score four goals in the first half with a brace by Casemiro and strikes by Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes.
Goals by the Foxes’ Bilal El Khannouss and Conor Coady sealed an entertaining six-goal spectacular in the first half before both teams slowed down in the second half.
That was when Fernandes completed his brace in the 59th minute before Van Nistelrooy took his foot off the gas.
That means that in his first game in charge of Man Utd, the ex-PSV Eindhoven boss has already beaten a Ten Hag feat by netting five goals against a Premier League side.
Ten Hag’s biggest win was last month’s 7-0 triumph over League One outfit Barnsley in the third round of the Carabao Cup.
The Dutch tactician’s biggest win before that was a 4-1 victory against Chelsea and Real Betis last year in the Premier League and Europa League respectively.
United looked much better in just one match under Van Nistelrooy, who hinted he wants to stay and work under incoming new boss Ruben Amorim.
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He told Sky Sports: “I came here as an assistant to help the club. Now in this role, I’m helping as long as needed.
“I’m here to help and serve and give my everything for the club in any capacity with so many people here around me that want the best for the club and that will never change.”
Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim is expected to replace Ten Hag on a full-time basis.
The Portuguese tactician, though, may not assume duties until after next month’s international break, meaning his first match could take place at Ipswich on November 24.
And Van Nistelrooy’s future at the club is currently uncertain as United appear to be trying to also sign Amorim’s coaching staff at Sporting.
Those are assistant coaches Adelio Candido, Carlos Fernandes and Emanuel Ferro as well as goalkeeper coach Jorge Vital and sports scientist Paulo Barreira.
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