Man Utd vs Leicester LIVE: Carabao Cup result and reaction as hosts net five against Foxes
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester: Ruud van Nistelrooy kicks off his tenure with a blistering win at Old Trafford
Manchester United began life after Erik ten Hag in superb fashion with a four-goal flurry at Old Trafford in the first half of their Carabao Cup tie against Leicester City.
The hosts started shakily especially with the Foxes happy to press up the pitch. They controlled possession but were unable to play out from the back and made a few positional errors with Lisandro Martinez filling in at left-back.
Things settled down when Casemiro scored the first of six goals thanks to a rocket strike from range which left Danny Ward perplexed. Alejandro Garnacho quickly added a second with a finish to rival interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy before Bilal El Khannouss pulled one back for the visitors.
The goal fest didn’t stop there as Bruno Fernandes’ free kick took a big deflection to give United a third goal before Casemiro netted a second from a corner. With set pieces yielding goals, Conor Coady kept Leicester in the contest just before the break, turning in a loose ball after a free kick lifted it into the United area.
There was a final goal for Fernandes after the break as United hit five on Van Nistelrooy’s debut and advanced to the quarter-finals of the league cup.
Relive the updates from Man United vs Leicester in the live blog below:
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s debut outing proves Manchester United were right to dismiss Erik ten Hag
Ruud van Nistelrooy always promised goals for Manchester United. There were 36 in his first season as a player, 44 in his second. There were seven in his first game as their interim manager, five of them for United. The third-lowest scorers in the Premier League, United discovered a prolific streak under him. If it is to prove his lone evening in charge of United, what a night for him.
It was a nostalgia trip when Van Nistelrooy headed down the tunnel at half-time to be serenaded by the Stretford End. The choruses of his name, the guttural growls of “Ruud”, may have transported them back to 2003, to a happier time, and if United can forever seek solace in their past, when actually needing to escape it, this was an enjoyable interlude before Ruben Amorim’s tenure begins, assuming it does and depending on when it actually starts.
Van Nistelrooy’s debut outing proves Man Utd were right to dismiss Ten Hag
Ruud van Nistelrooy happy to ‘help and serve’ Manchester United’s next manager
Ruud van Nistelrooy has vowed to stay on at Manchester United under Ruben Amorim if he is wanted to and said he will serve as interim manager for as long as they ask him to.
The former United striker won his first game in temporary charge after Erik ten Hag’s sacking by overseeing a 5-2 win over Leicester in the Carabao Cup, with both Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes scoring twice.
Ruud van Nistelrooy happy to ‘help and serve’ Manchester United’s next manager
Carabao Cup quarter-final draw
It’s almost time for the Carabao Cup quarter-final draw and updates can be found right here:
Carabao Cup draw LIVE: Updates as remaining teams learn next opponents
Chelsea on the horizon
Tonight’s result is a superb one for Manchester United and should give them confidence heading into the weekend when they face Chelsea in a huge Premier League clash.
Enzo Maresca’s side will be fresh and lively with a better eye for goal than Leicester. With United down in 14th, they’ll need to win that one.
Carabao Cup results
Here are all the results from tonight’s six matches:
Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
Brighton 0-3 Liverpool
Aston Villa 1-2 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea
Preston 0-3 Arsenal
Tottenham 2-1 Manchester City
United dominant at Old Trafford
Unsurprisingly, Manchester United dominated at home against Leicester. They had the most possession 56.5% compared to the Foxes 43.5% and created the most chances (23).
From those 23 shots they scored five times and could have had a few more. The annoying thing for Ruud van Nistelrooy is that United still allowed Leicester to have 16 shots of their own.
Whichever manager replaces Erik ten Hag they will need to sort out that problem, among others.
Manchester United reach Carabao Cup quarter-finals
FT Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
Manchester United advance to the next round of the Carabao Cup where they join Brentford, Southampton, Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
In the final fourth round match, Manchester City currently trail 2-1 to Tottenham.
Full-time! Man Utd 5-2 Leicester
90+2 mins: There goes the full-time whistle and Manchester United have put on a performance tonight at Old Trafford. The fans will leave happy after a goal fest from their side which gives Ruud van Nistelrooy his first victory as interim boss.
The aggression was good, the willingness to shoot was superb. United were more clinical tonight and as such they’re into the last eight of the league cup.
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