PL: Manchester United Defeats Leicester in Van Nistelrooy’s Interim Finale

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes shined with a goal and two assists, leading his team to a confident 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday in the Premier League. The victory marked a successful farewell for Ruud van Nistelrooy, managing his final game as United’s interim boss.

Since Erik ten Hag’s dismissal on October 28, United, temporarily led by Van Nistelrooy, has managed three wins and a draw across all competitions. They now stand 13th in the league with 15 points, four points behind the top three. Leicester, currently in 15th place, trails with 10 points.

Fernandes, celebrating his 250th appearance for United, broke his scoring drought from the Ten Hag era with a goal in the 17th minute, courtesy of a clever back-heel assist from Amad Diallo. This was the captain’s fourth goal in four games under Van Nistelrooy.

“It had been a long stretch without a goal, and now I’ve scored in a few consecutive games,” Fernandes said. “Another clean sheet at home is a positive step toward making this place a fortress again. We need to keep building on that.”

United’s second goal came in the 38th minute after a missed header by Fernandes led to a deflection off Leicester’s Victor Kristiansen, guiding the ball into the net. Alejandro Garnacho added United’s third goal in the 82nd minute with a perfectly curled shot from just outside the box, marking his third league goal of the season.

“Garnacho’s goal was brilliant, but he didn’t celebrate because he feels he’s lost some support from the fans,” Fernandes explained. “I told him to embrace it and celebrate—it was a special moment, and he’s a special player who can change games.”

Fans at Old Trafford celebrated Van Nistelrooy’s final moments as interim manager, chanting his name. Ruben Amorim, recently appointed as United’s permanent head coach from Sporting, will take over officially on November 24 against Ipswich Town. Van Nistelrooy’s future role at United remains uncertain, although he’s expressed his hope to stay with the team.

In the matchday program, Van Nistelrooy shared his optimism for the club’s future: “This club has everything it needs to reach the level I knew as a player. Tomorrow, I’ll be backing Ruben Amorim, and I encourage everyone who supports United to do the same.”

Fernandes had warm words for the interim coach. “Ruud loves this club and wanted to bring joy to us players,” he said. “He made us approach games with a positive mindset, and we wanted to give him a proper send-off.”

The game slowed in the second half, partly due to deteriorating weather. Leicester’s Jordan Ayew came close, firing a shot at the near post that was deflected wide. Leicester manager Steve Cooper noted, “We were competitive overall, but in crucial moments, we weren’t solid defensively. We had good spells but lacked productivity on both ends.”

United extended their strong record against Leicester, having lost just twice in their last 18 Premier League meetings.