Nobody knows how long Ruud van Nistelrooy will be caretaker manager but he will be targeting a winning start when Manchester United host Leicester City in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
Any hope of competing for the title is in the bin after a dire start to the Premier League season. The best we can hope for is a cup at this rate, so this is a game we need to be winning.
It will be Van Nistelrooy’s first time taking charge of the Reds after he was put in temporary charge following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal on Monday.
Van Nistelrooy will aim to lift the mood in the dressing room following a 2-1 defeat to West Ham, which proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Ten Hag.
With Ten Hag in the dugout, United hammered Barnsley 7-0 in the previous round.
Predicting Van Nistelrooy’s first XI as caretaker manager
Andre Onana will be kept between the sticks because he’s arguably been our best player this season.
We suspect the Dutchman will stick with a back four, with full-back duo Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui at right-back and left-back respectively.
I suspect rotation at centre-back due to the game with Chelsea at the weekend, which could mean a start for Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof.
In midfield, Van Nistelrooy could bring Manuel Ugarte back into the side. Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes are likely to keep their places due to a lack of senior options.
In attack, Amad could start on the right wing, joining forces with Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho up front.
Manchester United XI vs Leicester City: Onana; Mazraoui, Lindelof, Evans, Dalot; Ugarte, Eriksen, Fernandes; Amad, Hojlund, Garnacho.
