. Where VAR went against his team at West Ham, it was absent to prevent against Leicester, while the woodwork and deflections were working in their favour. Fortune favoured United on Wednesday but the team is in flux and requires clarity on what comes next.
It had been clear for far too long that change was required to lift the mood and United have experience of having a legend come in to revitalise a club stumbling and desperate to avoid hitting the canvas. The crowd had known for a long time things were not working out for Ten Hag; even when victories were found, it felt like a placebo rather than a cure to the ailments but at least Leicester eased the pain.
With Ruud van Nistelrooy in the dugout, there was greater energy on the sidelines and in the stands. The former United striker walked out of the tunnel before kick-off, punching the air and demanding noise, which the fans duly obliged. Whatever happens over the coming days, he is unlikely to follow the Ole Gunnar Solskjær route of getting the role on a long-term basis. Van Nistelrooy is the popular supply teacher, who gets out the guitar but did his best to follow the curriculum left behind by Ten Hag.
It would be generous to say anyone inside Old Trafford arrived with optimism because the malaise has lasted for far too long but the prospect of something better is in the air once more. The idea of a young coach coming in to reverse years of failings is promising but false dawns have been United’s stock in trade since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. While waiting to learn if Rúben Amorim will take the job and become the latest man to test himself in one of the most scrutinised jobs in world football, there was a match to win.
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