Man Utd 3-0 Leicester: Van Nistelrooy bows out with brilliant win
Man Utd 3-0 Leicester: Van Nistelrooy bows out with brilliant win. Ruud van Nistelrooy‘s time as interim manager of Manchester United ended with victory on Sunday afternoon as the Red Devils recorded a 3-0 victory over Leicester City in the Premier League.
Incoming head coach Ruben Amorim will take over a side that has now won three of their last four outings, with Bruno Fernandes’ strike and Victor Kristiansen’s unfortunate own goal putting United in a commanding half-time position.
Alejandro Garnacho then provided the only moment of quality in a tepid second half, securing all three points for the Red Devils with a wonderful strike.
How the game unfolded;
United’s recent 5-2 Carabao Cup victory over an admittedly much-changed Leicester side will have buoyed an expectant Old Trafford crowd and the home supporters certainly enjoyed what they saw in the 17th minute. An excellent back-heel from midweek hero Amad Diallo found skipper Fernandes, who curled home a precise effort from the edge of the area to put the hosts ahead.
Even without the injured Jamie Vardy, the visitors looked threatening on the counter-attack. Abdul Fatawu was particularly lively as he wrestled with Diogo Dalot but it was Wilfed Ndidi who had Leicester’s first clear-cut opening, breaking free through the centre and testing the onrushing Andre Onana with a tame shot.
However, hopes of a Leicester equaliser were dashed six minutes prior to the half-time whistle. A huge slick of luck benefitted Van Nistelrooy’s side after Noussair Mazraoui’s cross was miscued by Fernandes eight yards out. The ball then ricocheted off the covering Kristiansen at the far post and flew beyond Mads Hermansen.
The energetic Amad almost killed the contest in first-half stoppage time, weaving beyond several Leicester defenders before lashing a strike goalward. Hermansen was helpless for United’s first-half goals but made a strong save with his outstretched leg to deny the Ivorian a third.
A fairly low-key affair was taken down a few further notches after half-time. The odd foray forward from the visitors was handled comfortably by United, who themselves took the sting out of proceedings by recycling possession rather than going for the kill.
Jordan Ayew did his best to set up a nervy finish on one of Leicester’s increasingly rare breaks. The Ghanaian swivelled just inside the United box and fired a powerful drive towards Onana’s near post, but the United stopper tipped the effort wide.
But with their first meaningful moment of the second half, United did provide a clinching third. Fernandes found substitute Garnacho on the edge of the penalty area and the Argentine cut inside before whipping an exceptional curler into the far top corner from the edge of the area.
Leicester were unable to manage a consolation as United saw out a straightforward victory to boost confidence ahead of Amorim’s first match after the November international break.
