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Manchester United produced a free-flowing attacking display as they thumped Leicester City 5-2 in their Carabao Cup Round of 16 encounter at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
The Red Devils had never scored five against Premier League opposition under Erik ten Hag but the team did just that with Ruud van Nistelrooy in interim charge.
Goals came from Casemiro, who netted a brace, as did Bruno Fernandes while Alejandro Garnacho also got his name on the scoresheet as the 20-time English league champions made it to the quarterfinals of the competition.
There were certain tactical differences seen in the former United striker’s first game in charge — the team pressed much higher and the full-back provided the width at times.
Players played with freedom
But what was most evident was the freedom the players played with against the Foxes, as opposed to the rigid and chaotic style seen under the former Ajax coach.
Make no mistake, familiar deficiencies still remain as Leicester grabbed a couple of goals on the night, but confidence seemed to be back coursing through the veins of a few players.
Ten Hag certainly failed to get a tune from this group of stars and hence INEOS’ decision to remove him, but plenty of players had failed to perform to their highest ability as well.
One of them was Casemiro, but the Brazilian purred on the night, defending with ease, passing like a magician while his first goal was a thing of beauty.
Whether Ten Hag’s strict instructions were holding him back or a behind-the-scenes rift, it was clear that the former Real Madrid superstar enjoyed himself under the lights at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
His midfield partner Manuel Ugarte was reinvigorated as well under Van Nistelrooy, with the Uruguayan hardly getting minutes under the former manager.
Certain players were sending a message to EtH
But against Steve Copper’s side, he was almost everywhere in midfield, covering a lot of space while intercepting a lot of balls in the middle of the park.
And while he was on for a short period of time, Amad Diallo was seen smiling, after his sombre expression was picked up against Fenerbahce, and during his short stint out on the pitch, he seemed desperate to score in order to send a message to Ten Hag.
Ruben Amorim seems to be the next United boss but his arrival remains shrouded in mystery. Van Nistelrooy’s spell in charge might carry on for a while longer and he will hope to see the same free-flowing style come Sunday when they take on Chelsea.
There were shades of that famous night at Cardiff when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took interim charge. While Van Nistelrooy might not last as long, it is imperative he fixes the rigidity that was prevalent under the former boss and ensure the players keep playing with a smile on their face and eventually, results will follow.
Feature image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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