Ruud van Nistelrooy certainly enjoyed his first match back in the hot seat for almost 18 months.
The Manchester United legend, who has stepped up from assistant to interim manager after Erik ten Hag’s sacking, watched his side beat fellow top flight outfit Leicester 5-2 in the Carabao Cup.
Van Nistelrooy enjoyed five big celebrations back on the touchlineGetty
The club parted ways with Ten Hag after a 2-1 defeat to West Ham continued their worst-ever Premier League start.
However, against the Foxes the shackles were instantly off as United plundered in four first-half goals, triggered by a stunning long-range opener from Casemiro in the 15th minute.
Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes then scored before Casemiro added another before the break, while Leicester’s two goals made it six goals in 45 chaotic minutes at Old Trafford.
The second half calmed down with Fernandes the only scorer to kill off and Leicester threat, but the volume of goals will have impressed Van Nistelrooy.
In fact, in his first game in charge of the Red Devils, he’s already beaten a Ten Hag feat by scoring five goals against a Premier League side.
Ten Hag failed to do that in two-and-a-half years in Manchester, with Van Nistelrooy celebrating wildly in what would usually be considered an audition of sorts.
However, talkSPORT understands that on this occasion the former striker will soon be making way in the United hotseat for Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim.
The result will still draw eyes towards Van Nistelrooy, who surprised by joining United as Ten Hag’s assistant in the summer.
The 48-year-old already has an impressive CV as a manager in his own right, winning the KNVB Cup and Dutch Super Cup in just one season with PSV Eindhoven.
Approached by Burnley in the summer, the former Netherlands international instead moved to Manchester and was seen as a potential Ten Hag replacement before the club moved for Amorim.
Amorim will be jetting in to take the main seat on the benchGetty
It’s unclear if Van Nistelrooy will be staying with United, given that talkSPORT has also learned that the club are negotiating with Amorim’s backroom staff and highly-rated assistant Carlos Fernandez.
But whatever happens, Van Nistelrooy has certainly solidified his place in the hearts of United supporters given his comments pre-match.
“Even on an interim basis, it is a great honour to manage the club I love for however long I am asked to do so,” he said in his programme notes.
“I can promise that I will continue to give my all, in whatever capacity, to try to turn around our fortunes.
“Now is the time for everyone at the club to work together, give everything and turn this season around while we have time.
“From my experiences as both a player and a coach here, I can say for sure that when players, staff and supporters pull together, Manchester United can be unstoppable.
