United hit cruise control as Van Nistelrooy signs off

Eleven days after Manchester United routed Leicester under Ruud van Nistelrooy in the Carabao Cup here, the interim manager signed off with another easy-street win over the Foxes and so ends his four-game term unbeaten.

- Jamie Jackson

In all the Dutchman has three victories, and for this one he could thank Bruno Fernandes, who graced a 250th United appearance by scoring the first goal and causing enough trouble for the hapless Victor Kristiansen to bundle past his goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen, for the second.

Fernandes's goal was a fourth of Van Nistelrooy's brief reign after zero for Erik ten Hag in the captain's previous 17 outings, a run that stretched back to April. Ten Hag has been replaced by Ruben Amorim, whose opening day as the new head coach is today, as United hope their latest reset is finally the right one.

Fernandes said: "It was a long time that I wasn't scoring and now goals are coming in the last few games."

In an unsurprising move, Van Nistelrooy's one change from the XI that drew with Chelsea last Sunday was finding a place for the explosive aggression of Amad Diallo - Alejandro Garnacho was the fall guy - and his thrust had the visitors on their heels throughout.

One dart swept the 22-year-old deep into Leicester territory and provoked Abdul Fatawu into upending him. Fernandes targeted Casemiro with the free-kick but the visitors cleared.

United hemmed Leicester in. Any forays were on the counter, as when Fatawu mugged Casemiro and the ball went to Wilfred Ndidi, but the home team escaped.