“He didn’t scored today but to me he’s the best player of the match…All our goals passed through him”: Man United’s caretaker coach Ruud van Nistelrooy names ONE player who was the best against Leicester City despite not scoring
Manchester United are into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the sixth time in nine years after Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game in temporary charge resulted in a 5-2 win over Leicester City.
There were six goals in the first half alone and United’s four before half-time was as many as they had managed in the final four games of Erik ten Hag’s reign.
Casemiro’s brace ultimately set the tone for the hosts, bookending his team’s first half goal. Alejandro Garnacho had made it 2-0 inside half an hour, with Bilal El Khannous pulling one back for Leicester. But two from Bruno Fernandes – his first goals of the season – either side of what proved to be another Foxes consolation from Conor Coady – capped a convincing attacking display.
The game ended in 5-2 win for Manchester United, here’s our player rankings.
GK: Altay Bayindir – 6/10 – Carried on in this competition after starting in the previous round and will have expected to better with the first Leicester goal. Made a spectacular stop later on though.
RB: Diogo Dalot – 6/10 – With a glaring miss aganst West Ham still fresh in the mind, his far post cross towards Garnacho for United’s second was inch perfect.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt – 6/10 – Deserves credit for the aggressive front foot defending which won his team the ball from which they took the lead. Probably therefore should have commanded the situation much better when Leicester scored their second.
CB: Victor Lindelof – 5/10 – In for just his second start of the season and not up to speed just yet. It was a poor attempt to stop the cross that led to Leicester pulling the first back.
LB: Lisandro Martinez – 6/10 – Functional rather than outstanding, not in his preferred role.
AM: Bruno Fernandes (c) – 8/10 – His first goal of the season had a slice of luck with it, but he won’t care to finally be off the mark. His next was also a gift, although required composure and skill too.
LM: Alejandro Garnacho – 8/10 – Continues to be the most consistent source of attacking threat. Took his goal very well and also gets assist credit for Casemiro’s opener.
ST: Joshua Zirkzee – 5/10 – Often felt like the spare man in attack. Saw one reasonable second half chance beaten away, but too much on the periphery.
Substitutes
SUB: Noussair Mazraoui (63′ for Martinez) – 6/10
SUB: Amad Diallo (63′ for Rashford) – 6/10
SUB: Jonny Evans (72′ for De Ligt) – 6/10
SUB: Rasmus Hojlund (73′ for Garnacho) – 6/10
SUB: Ethan Wheatley (85′ for Zirkzee) – N/A
